Unattainable Perfection
by island-surfer
Summary: He saved her from a dark fate in an alley one night and fell for her. She loved him as well, but found herself in an arranged marriage to please her family. How can they be together? M for future lemons. E/B A/J R/Em
1. Prologue

**AN: Hey everyone! So, this is my first multi-chapter fic and my first Twilight fic. I was writing an assignment from my Creative Writing class a little over a week ago and what I came out with sounded like a pretty good idea for a fanfic. The assignment was a 1-2 page story based on a song; I chose "Nobody Puts Baby In a Corner" by Fall Out Boy, hence the title of the fic. What I came up with was simple, but had instant potential for something more. So I had the awesome Oriana de la Rose‏ take a look at it and apparently she saw something good there as well. I couldn't stop writing once I started. Please read and be sure to let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except a decently large collection of books. Everything you recognize is this story belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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**Prologue (Three Years in the Past)**

BPOV

I pulled my hood further over my face, trying to stay warm. My mother was insane for thinking that I would be warm in a strapless cocktail dress in almost freezing weather.

Of course, now I looked ridiculous with a black hoodie thrown over the pale blue dress.

I hurried through the almost empty streets, cursing the lack of taxis. My family's house was only a few blocks away, but it always took forever. With the cold and potential rain, I knew it would take even longer.

"Of all the nights to be shipped out of the house with nothing more than a fucking cell phone," I muttered as the cold rain started.

I sensed something behind me and the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. But when I turned around, all I saw was a guy around my age smoking a joint. I shrugged it off and kept moving. I had just rounded the corner when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, one hand covering my mouth before I could scream.

"Don't struggle and we won't have any problems," a low, slimy voice rang through my ears.

Ignoring everything I ever learned, I went with my first instinct: trying to bite his hand and wriggle out of his grip. But he just held on tighter.

"Feisty bitch," he said.

I managed to get my teeth into one of his fingers, but that only caused him to swear more and throw me against a wall. My head hit pretty hard and I crumpled to the ground. The man stood over me, a smile creeping across his face as he studied me. I tried to curl into a ball in response to his eyes raking over my body, but I couldn't move.

"Well, this sure should make things easier," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "You can't fight if you can't move."

The man ran his hands down my sides with too much pressure. My whole body twitched when he reached my stomach and I realized that it was only shock keeping my body from moving. When his hands started to get too low and move under my skirt, I tried to push him away, but his grip on me only tightened and his breathing grew heavier. I was disgusted and repulsed and completely unable to get away from him. So I did the only thing I could do at that moment.

I screamed at the top of my lungs.

It took a few seconds for him to realize what I was doing before he clamped a hand over my mouth. "Bitch," he seethed. "You're only making it worse for yourself."

I tried to continue screaming, but it was muffled enough that nothing would come of it. The noises soon simmered to whimpers as I cringed at the feel of his hands on me. I tried to retreat into myself and think of anything else.

All of a sudden, the man's weight was gone. He was being pulled across the alley and away from me. I moved so that I was sitting with my back against the wall. I could see someone holding my assailant against the wall and punching him while saying something, but my head was spinning and I couldn't focus on much.

"Hey," I heard. A hand was lightly tapping my face. "Hey, you alright?"

I mumbled something incoherent and tried to swat the hand away. The voice chuckled.

"Well, at least you're alive," he said. "Come on, let's get you into better light." He slid his hands behind my back and under my knees and picked me up like I was a toddler. His arms were warm and comforting and I found myself inadvertently curling into his embrace.

Much too soon, he was setting me down on a bench under a nearby light post. He knelt in front of me and I finally got a good look at him.

"You're that guy," I whispered, unable to get any more volume to my voice. "The one smoking earlier."

"Ah, she speaks," he said. His voice was a rising and falling symphony compared to my almost-rapist. "Since your vocal cords finally reattached to your brain, do you think you could tell me if you're okay?"

"If almost getting raped and having a massive goose egg on the back of my head counts as being okay, then yeah. I'm just fine," I replied sarcastically. He laughed again. I sighed. "Sorry, I should be showing you more gratitude. You probably just saved my life."

I took a good look at his face now that I was trying not to be a bitch. His bright green eyes were the first things I noticed. They held a mixture of concern, amusement, and confusion. Not wanting to drown in them, I moved my gaze. His hair was an odd bronze color and was grown out to the point that it stuck out in all directions. It looked soft, but a bit greasy at the same time. He cheekbones were well defined and he had a perfectly chiseled jaw. He was perfection personified.

As he stood to inspect the back of my head, I got a good look at the rest of his body. Despite the cold night, he was only wearing a thin black T-shirt and jeans. I could see a few tattoos along his arms: a tribal design, a few Chinese symbols, and a nautical star. His shirt pulled up a tiny bit and I could see the bottom of what looked to be very well defined abs. But I couldn't dwell on it for long since he came back down to my level at that moment.

"You must've hit your head pretty hard," he said. "That's one impressive bump. You might have a concussion."

"Wouldn't be the first time," I said, shrugging it off. He raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "I'm not the most graceful person in the world."

"Could've fooled me with the way you were walking earlier," he teased. I glared at him, needing to get across that I wasn't amused. He just smiled. "I'm sorry. You're sure you're okay, though, right?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," I said, already sick of that question.

"Well, I guess I should get going then," he said, hesitantly standing up.

"Wait," I said, not sure what was possessing me. For some reason, I felt the sudden need to be near him even though my parent's house was less than a black away. "At least let me buy you dinner as a thank you," I continued, making up an excuse to stay near him.

He smiled. "Only if I can know your name," he probed. I couldn't help but smile as well, but a blush crept across my face.

"Isabella," I said quietly as a reflex. But I quickly amended that mistake. "Please don't call me that though. My parents insist on it, but I hate it. It's just Bella."

"Edward," he replied. "No abbreviations. Just Edward." He smirked as I rolled my eyes. Of course he would be the type to tease mercilessly. He held out his hand to help me up. "Now I would be happy to go to dinner with you."

I took his hand and stood up, feeling skeptical of his intentions. "You're going to keep asking me if I'm okay and making sure I don't fall over, aren't you?"

"It'll be worse if you keep that attitude," he advised with a smirk. I sighed in frustration, leading him to burst out laughing at my dejected expression.

EPOV

What in the world was I thinking?

I walked with my hand less than an inch from Bella's lower back, guiding her along but only to keep her from falling. I had a feeling she would protest if I used even one more ounce of chivalry.

_Chivalry_? This night was getting weirder and weirder.

Two hours earlier, I got off my shift at Twilight, the tattoo parlor I ran with my brother's girlfriend, Rosalie.

"You know you don't need to stay until the last needle is cleaned," she told me as she cleaned the front desk area. "You and I run this joint. We're allowed to leave early from time to time."

"Practice what you preach," I threw at her while I sterilized the last few needles.

"Touché," she said with a laugh.

We both finished cleaning before gathering our things and parting ways. She was headed back to her dormitory and I was going… nowhere.

I hated staying at my apartment for longer than I needed to. I spent most of my time at Twilight, ignoring my own fucked up life by immersing myself in the art. I learned a lot about the world by dealing with the people that came in and what they decided to get etched into their skin.

I decided that it was a good night to just stay outside and smoke. Nothing wrong with that. People could complain all they want about secondhand smoke, but it really didn't matter to me.

Then I saw Bella. Even without knowing anything about her, I could tell she was special. I even felt bad for smoking around her and corrupting the air in her vicinity.

I saw her before she saw me. The numerous light posts and lack of a crowd made it hard to ignore her. The light played off her pale skin like it would off a jewel, almost sparkling. Her dark mahogany hair was done in wide curls and pinned up, but it had started to go a little frizzy from the humidity.

But her outfit confused me. I could tell she was wearing a dress from the light blue fabric around her thighs, but she was wearing a black hoodie over it all. Generally, girls in that area tended to be a little more fashion conscious. Even Rosalie spent over an hour getting herself ready every day when she knew she was just going to spend all day getting grease and oil stains on her hands.

Looking back at the girl's face, I saw that she looked worried. She looked behind her as if she felt she was being followed. She turned back around, not seeing anything. A man dressed in all black slunk out from behind one of the trees and slowly crept behind her.

I took a drag from my cigarette and watched as the man continued in the girl's direction. If she needed help, someone else who happened to be closer was sure to come to her aid. She didn't need me breathing smoke into her perfect lungs.

But for some reason, I felt a pull in that direction. Like I _knew_ something was going to happen, but couldn't quite place it. I felt like I needed to help her.

I heard a scream coming from a few alleyways down and I reacted instantly. I threw the cigarette butt down and ran toward where the sound had come from. As I turned the corner, I saw a small piece of the light blue fabric from her dress and I knew it was her. I pulled the scumbag off her and shoved him into a wall.

"If you know what's good for you," I started, throwing a punch at his face, "you will leave right now. You will never come near her again. I have friends who will make sure that you never do anything like this ever again." I punctuated each pause with another punch to his face. I stepped back and dropped him.

He had enough sense to scamper off, whimpering the entire way, as I watched him. A sick sense of pride filled me for protecting this girl. Then I remembered she was still suffering behind me as I stood there, basking in unearned glory.

I turned to find her trying to balance herself against the wall. She looked a bit dizzy, and she was probably at least a little nauseous. I knelt in front of her and gently tapped her face with my hand.

"Hey," I said quietly. "Hey, you alright?" One of her hands came up to swat mine away as she mumbled. I chuckled at her lack of coherence. "Well, at least you're alive," he said. "Come on, let's get you into better light."

I slid my arms under her and picked her up, not seeing any other way to move her at that moment. I felt some sort of spark as I touched her skin, but I ignored it. It was probably just some static or something. I was surprised when she curled into my arms though.

Even more surprising, however, was my reaction. I found myself smiling down at her innocent form. I knew nothing about her, not even her name, but all I could focus on was that sense of connection I kept feeling.

I wanted nothing more than to never let her go.

But remembering why she was in my arms distracted me enough to get her situated on a bench before checking her over again.

She finally spoke as I knelt in front of her. "You're that guy," she whispered. Her voice was a little raspy, as if the bastard had tried to choke her. "The one smoking earlier."

"Ah, she speaks," I said, trying to keep the tone light. I hoped it would help her more than staying serious. "Since your vocal cords finally reattached to your brain, do you think you could tell me if you're okay?" I remembered something Rosalie told me when she first started dating Emmett: _Don't always take control. Let the girl state her opinion. It's not 1920 anymore; girls _can_ think for themselves._

"If almost getting raped and having a massive goose egg on the back of my head counts as being okay, then yeah. I'm just fine," she said, looking like I was insane. Well, that's one thing I learned. She was definitely sarcastic. I couldn't help but laugh again at her initial reaction. She sighed. "Sorry, I should be showing you more gratitude. You probably just saved my life." Her sudden shift in mood confused me a bit; I was getting out of touch with the world since the only people I really ever saw were Rosalie and Emmett.

The girl finally looked at me. She was even more beautiful up close than she was from afar. Her chocolate brown eyes seemed surprised by how close I had gotten to her, but didn't indicate that she would push me away. Her features were delicate, but fit her perfectly. Her lips drew me in almost as much as her eyes and I had to move in order to keep from leaning in to kiss her.

I stood up and checked the back of her head. Sure enough, there was a lump forming from where she must have hit her head. I touched the area around it and found no blood. She wouldn't need to go to the hospital, but I still felt concerned about her condition.

"You must've hit your head pretty hard," I said. "That's one impressive bump. You might have a concussion."

"Wouldn't be the first time," she said with a shrug. I raised an eyebrow, not seeing what she was getting at. "I'm not the most graceful person in the world."

"Could've fooled me with the way you were walking earlier," I joked. She glared at me, but I had to smile. Keeping the tone light and teasing seemed to keep her on the testy, sarcastic side. "I'm sorry. You're sure you're okay, though, right?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she responded, exasperated.

"Well, I guess I should get going then," I said slowly as I stood up again. I didn't want to leave her there alone, but I didn't want to overstay my welcome either.

"Wait," she said as I turned away. I looked back at her to see her looking hesitant and biting her lip. "At least let me buy you dinner as a thank you," she continued.

I smiled, figuring that she probably just made that up. Maybe she felt the same connection I did. "Only if I can know your name," I said. I couldn't deal with not knowing more about her, so I figured that was a fair deal.

"Isabella," she answered quietly with a smile, but she continued, almost sounding scared. "Please don't call me that though. My parents insist on it, but I hate it. It's just Bella."

"Edward," I replied. "No abbreviations. Just Edward." She rolled her eyes in response to my smirk. The teasing was starting to come naturally while I was around her. I held my hand out to help her up. "Now I would be happy to go to dinner with you."

She took my hand, but I could sense her hesitation. "You're going to keep asking me if I'm okay and making sure I don't fall over, aren't you?"

"It'll be worse if you keep that attitude," I answered. I could tell that she was frustrated with my attitude, but her exasperated sigh had me laughing uncontrollably.

Now I found myself walking with this girl to a restaurant when I barely knew her. What happened to three years of distancing myself from everything?

I wanted to get to know her. More than I'd wanted anything in a long time. I decided to take a risk and find out more about her.

"So, Bella," I started. "What brings you out tonight in a cocktail dress and a hoodie?"

She groaned, trying to pull the sweatshirt down further. "Believe me, it wasn't my choice to wear this stupid pastel thing, but my mother forced me into it," she grumbled. "She just loves throwing me into situations I can't handle."

"And what could be out of your comfort zone that would include a cocktail dress?" I probed.

"Blind dates," she continued. "My mom is convinced that I'll never be married if I don't find a guy within the next five years, so she's starting early."

Her shoulders slumped forward as she walked. She looked disgusted at the idea of being forced to marry. Frankly, I didn't blame her. I didn't think there were still families like that.

"Can't you just walk away?" I suggested. "Just live on your own and not worry about your parents running your life?"

Bella smiled sadly up at me. "That's not how it works Edward." She started to continue, but she caught sight of the restaurant. "We're here." She took my hand and pulled me into a small hole-in-the-wall place. It looked like a place that a girl like her would never be caught dead in.

"Bella! I thought you were going to be out tonight!" a deep voice said as we entered the dimly lit building. A tall Native American boy walked up and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her out of my grip.

"Jake," Bella wheezed. "Jake, can't… breathe…."

"Oh, sorry Bells," he laughed, letting her go. Then he finally caught sight of me. "And who is this behind you?" Jake, as she called him, pushed Bella gently to the side and smiled at me. "Jacob Black, at your service." He held out his hand for me to shake, but I was too shocked to move. I'd never gotten hit on by a guy before.

Bella laughed at my expression and pulled Jacob away from him, much to his dismay. "Jake, this is Edward. He saved me from some creep who tried to get in my pants in the alleyway by the liquor store."

Jake turned his gaze back to me, but this time his expression was one of gratitude and amazement than of lust. "Thank you, man. Seriously, I don't know how much it means to me and all the guys here that she's okay."

"Uh, you're welcome, I guess," I stammered. "There was just something that told me I needed to do it, so…." I shrugged. Bella rolled her eyes at my lack of a logical reason, but smiled.

"Either way, all food you eat tonight is on the house," Jake assured me.

"Jake, you know I can't stand it when you-" Bella started before Jake gently put a hand over her mouth.

"I don't want to hear it Bells." Jake sent a wink over Bella's head to me and led us to a booth in the back.

Bella shooed Jake off after ordering her usual and letting me order a personal pan pizza. We were finally alone again.

I could tell that Bella was much more comfortable in this environment than out on the streets. She probably spent a lot of her time in here after bad dates or just to run away from her parents. From the way Jake reacted, she spent enough time here to get to know most of the staff.

"Sorry about Jake," she said once he left. "He's not the most subtle person in the world. He makes his sexuality known early in case there's a chance."

"Well, I hope he realizes that I'm not exactly batting on the same team," I answered with a nervous chuckle.

She tried to hide her bubbling laughter, but it didn't work. "I think you made it pretty clear." Her eyes were twinkling in her amusement and I found myself unable to look away.

BPOV

I took a few seconds to get my composure back before I looked back at Edward. "Thank you, Edward. I really do believe that you saved my life back there."

"Seriously, don't mention it," he said quickly. It really seemed like he wanted to avoid the subject. His eyes looked pained. "It's over, that's what matters."

"Edward… I can't just ignore this," I insisted. As much as it hurt to see him like that – and I had no idea why – I needed him to see my side of it.

"Bella, I don't normally do this," he said. "I probably wouldn't have done it… but there was this thing that kind of pulled me to you. Something huge that I couldn't ignore."

"Well, whatever it is, I'm grateful," I said. "Even if I do have to go back to my parents' house later." I grimaced and focused on the table. I hoped he wouldn't ask any more about my home life, but I had a feeling that I would still answer him.

"I'm afraid I'm not used to this stuff, Bella," he said, running a hand through his messy, bronze hair. "I've been alone long enough that I don't know how to interact with people anymore."

"Well, you could've fooled me," I said honestly. "Promise me that you won't just blow this off. I need you to know how much this means to me."

Edward looked into my eyes again, and I felt myself drowning into his gaze. Then he reverted back to his teasing self and smirked. "Only if you promise to learn self-defense in case this happens again and I'm not there to help you."

I smiled. "Deal." His smirk turned into a genuine smile.

I had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last time I saw Edward. I _hoped_ it wasn't going to be the last time.

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**AN: Thank you so much for reading. If you liked it, be sure to press the wonderful review button. I have no idea when I'll get to update again, but more reviews might help the next chapter come out sooner rather than later. *hint hint***

**-Kaylee**


	2. Fit To Be Tied

**AN: Here's the next chapter! It's a lot sooner than I expected, but that's what happens when you get sucked into writing. But before we get to the new stuff, there's a few things I want to say. First, thanks to my reviewers and everyone who favorited the story and put it on Alert. It's nice to know that people enjoy reading what I write. Second, this chapter takes place three years after the Prologue. It's mainly just to see what Bella's been up to for three years and to see what's changed in her life. The next chapter will be along the same lines, only for Edward. So, sadly, there will be no Edward/Bella interaction.. Technically.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I still own nothing. Stephenie Meyer has the rights to everything that you recognize in this story.**

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**Chapter 1 – Fit To Be Tied**

BPOV

I watched the guests leave my parents' house. As soon as the door was shut, I ran up the stairs, ignoring my mother's attempts to get me to stay.

"Isabella, you can't lock yourself up in your room all day," she called. "We have more guests coming later!"

I spun around to look at her. "Unless it's Alice and her new husband, I don't want to see any of them." I turned back to the hallway and hurried toward my room.

Afternoon parties were becoming a favorite of my mother's. Now that she had finally arranged a marriage for me, she made up excuses to celebrate it. I couldn't stand it. She insisted that I be more social and outgoing to show that I would be a good wife.

She obviously didn't get the memo that it wasn't the 1700s anymore. Women had a lot more rights, including choosing who they marry.

My bedroom was my only safe haven. I installed a lock from the inside that would keep my parents out. They were furious when they found out, but they couldn't do anything about it. The room was simple, but it fulfilled my purposes. The walls had built in shelves that I'd spent years filling with books. The bed, despite the fact that my mother bought the accessories, had grown on me. I wasn't particularly fond of them, but I didn't want to burn them like I had originally.

Alice, my best friend since I was three, had given me an amazing sound system since she knew that I loved music. She knew that it was the one thing guaranteed to calm me down after a stressful day.

I pulled out a mix of my favorite classical songs and stuck it in my CD player. The melody of Debussy's Claire de Lune filled my ears. There was nothing better than just sitting back at letting the music take over after a stressful day.

I have no idea how long I lay there, just listening to the music. I heard a familiar knock on my door right before the doorknob jiggled. I smiled, knowing exactly who was there. it only took me a second to get to the door and unlock it.

"Was it really that bad?" Alice said as I opened the door. "Music and the lock? What happened?"

"Alice, let her breathe," a deep voice said beside her. I looked over to see my best friend's new husband, Jasper Whitlock, standing next to her. It was weird knowing them as a married couple since we had all been inseparable as kids.

"It's fine, Jasper. Come in, guys," I said. I stood aside to let them both in and locked the door behind them. "My mother decided to spring this one on me this morning. Usually she gives me at least a day's notice."

I plopped myself back on my bed. Alice sat next to me and ran her fingers through my hair soothingly. Jasper pulled the chair over from my desk and sat next to the bed. The two of them had been with me through everything, so it was natural that they would be with me then. It was a shame that they couldn't do anything to help.

Alice, at less than five feet tall, was a princess in her parents' eyes, and now Jasper's. She always had everything she wanted, even if it was against what society wanted, since she was an only child. If Alice wanted it, Alice got it. And, being an amazing friend, she would smuggle things right under my parents' noses. Which is how I got the lock.

Jasper, on the other hand, towered over the both of us at six feet four inches. He was the middle of five boys and, so far, the only married one. He was always one to follow the rules exactly how they were given to him. There was no reason to bend them. The only thing he ever fought for was Alice. She was the only thing worth fighting for in his opinion.

"If it was just one of her normal parties, it couldn't have been too bad," he said cautiously.

I scoffed. "Oh, I wish. No, she had to go and invite James' entire family and parade us around, as a couple, like we were some trophy."

"Bella, you know that's Jasper's family that you're talking about too," Alice said.

"Yeah, you managed to get the only good one in the entire family," I commented. "No offense, Jazz, but James is an ass."

He just laughed and nodded. "Believe me, I know. Why do you think I moved out as soon as I could?"

Alice gasped. "That's it, Jazz! We can have Bella move in with us to get her out of here!" She was practically bouncing as she formulated the plan in her mind. I sighed, knowing that I had to stop her scheming.

"Ali, that's not the way it works," I said. "My parents aren't like the Whitlocks. They don't understand. They just want me to get married and be done with me. They figured that since you were so happy with Jasper, I would be perfectly content with James. Apparently they don't see him like we do." I groaned and covered my face with one of the decorative pillows that I normally throw on the floor.

My betrothal to James Whitlock was finalized almost two months before, just weeks after my twenty-second birthday. My mother's countdown to the end of my eligibility in society was supposed to be continually echoing in my head, according to her, but I couldn't hear it. The engagement meant nothing to me. Of course, no one saw that except Alice and Jasper. I knew they wouldn't be able to do a thing about it either.

"I'm sure James will be better once he's settled down," Jasper said. "Maybe it'll get better once you give him a chance." I had a feeling he was only trying to make me feel better.

It wasn't working. I moved the pillow to glare at him.

"Jasper, have you seen the statistics for situations like this? The marriages end in death, divorce, or domestic abuse," I said, staring at the ceiling. "Very, very few end well. I think your marriage makes up that entire percentage."

Alice leaned forward until her face was directly above mine. "This isn't completely about James, is it?" she asked.

"Ali, please don't-"

"Bella, are you withholding information?" Jasper asked, a teasing lilt sneaking into his voice. I groaned and tried to bury my head in my pillow again.

"You need to tell me, Bells," Alice sang, pulling the pillow from me.

"For once, I feel completely out of the loop," Jasper said absently. "It would be nice to be filled in on things."

"She's in love, Jazz," Alice said. "Plain and simple."

I shot up and faced my best friend. "Alice! How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not in love with him?"

"And those nights that you came back from the local pizza parlor happier than I've ever seen you? I don't think it's because of that Jacob kid," she said. I groaned and fell back on the bed. "I still want to meet the paramour, by the way. When's the next meeting? It's either this Saturday or next Saturday… I lost count." She smiled sweetly down at me.

"You… are an evil pixie." I avoided both of their gazes, not wanting to talk about Edward with either of them. They wouldn't understand.

"Okay, so far I've got that it's a guy, you've been seeing him for a while, and you don't want anyone to know," Jasper mused. He counted each item off on his fingers, but still managed to seem detached from the conversation. "Please, just let me know if I missed anything."

"Well, when you disappear in a completely predictable manner, it's not that hard to keep track of you," she said with a shrug.

"You don't even know where New Moon Pizza is!" I exclaimed.

"Of course I do," she said, offended. "It's around the corner from that tattoo parlor… Like a block and a half away."

I rolled my eyes. "Great, so I can add stalking to your list."

"Considering I've known the schedule for around a year now, I think withholding information might technically be on that list too," she continued.

"Alice!"

"Okay, honey, I think it's time that we get all the information out in the open so that we're all on the same page now," Jasper said. If I wasn't so mad at his wife, I would have been amused by his frustration. As it was, I was getting increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation.

No one really knew about Edward and I except the Jacob and the other guys at New Moon Pizza. Well, at least on my end. Edward may have told people, but he never let on. It was just an unspoken rule that I wouldn't tell anyone I knew. It wouldn't end well. New Moon Pizza was a central location – not really, Edward just refused to take me anywhere that I wasn't comfortable – and we always knew that the food and the service were good.

"Remember about three years ago when I was sore for about a week for no reason?" I started. Jasper nodded. "Well, there was a reason. Mom had set me up on another one of those stupid blind dates in the hopes that I would find someone. I ditched as soon as I could, equipped only with the black sweatshirt that I stole from you freshman year of high school." I proceeded to tell them about that night in full detail, not sparing anything that I could remember. It probably made one or both of my friends uncomfortable, but I got so into telling it, that I didn't notice their reactions until I finished. "So, we made a deal that he wouldn't shrug off my gratitude in exchange for me learning self-defense."

"I stand by my conclusion," Alice said, dancing across the room to go through one of the shelves of books. "You're in love with him." I rolled my eyes and decided to ignore her at the moment. I turned to Jasper, hoping for a better reaction.

"So that's where the muscles came from," he said. "Tell me, did you take actual classes, or did you learn from Edward?"

I laughed. "I started with the classes, but Edward said they weren't teaching me the right stuff." I smiled, thinking about how that change came about.

"_Edward, it's a certified class," I said, confused. "The teachers are licensed and everything."_

"_Just because they have a fancy, signed piece of paper with their name on it, doesn't mean that their lessons are adequate," Edward retorted. He looked angrier than I'd ever seen him. His hair was more mussed than usual, considering he had run his fingers through it every time I said something he didn't like._

"_Then what do you want me to do? Risk getting hurt more by learning from experience?" I asked, dropping the pizza in my hands out of frustration._

_Edward flinched. "Of course not, Bella," he said. He buried his face in his hands. "That's exactly what I _don't _want." He took a few deep breaths before looking back up at me. "What I meant was that maybe you need a better teacher. But since the people they license these days only seem fit for teaching children's karate, the best you're going to get is me."_

"_You?" I said, incredulous. "And what makes you qualified?" It came out snippier than I would have liked, but thankfully he ignored the tone._

"_Sixteen years of martial arts training," he informed me nonchalantly. "And not with one of those just-out-of-college guys who think they know everything. No, I had a seasoned teacher. That's what makes me qualified."_

"_Well, I guess you are," I said, surprised. I'm not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn't that. Now I understood exactly where he got his muscles. It wasn't just working out._

"_So, does that mean you'll stop paying some God awful amount for nothing?" he asked. He looked hopeful. It seemed like he liked the idea of teaching me something. I wasn't going to complain either. Honestly, what girl would pass up the opportunity to learn from him?_

"_Only if you'll let me pay you that same God awful amount," I said. He opened his mouth to protest, but I beat him to it. "And if you won't take it, I won't let you teach me." He stared at me in disbelief._

_I'd learned over the past few months since I'd met him that Edward didn't have much of anything. The only family that he associated with was his cousin, Emmett, and Rosalie, Emmett's girlfriend. I couldn't tell if he left his parents or the other way around, but they weren't there regardless. He dropped out of college to work at Twilight, his tattoo parlor, and ended up running it when the manager got married. He spent most of his time either at work or smoking. When I pointed out that I hated even the idea of smoking, he mentioned that he'd tried to quit, but it hadn't worked._

_But even with the little that he had, h wasn't keen on having too much money. He was happy with the little that he had. I knew he wouldn't be happy with me paying him, but I needed to try. I wasn't happy with the idea of him living the way he did now. The amount that I would pay him could at least get him a better apartment and food than he had._

"_Bella, you know I can't," he said._

"_No, you _can_. You just feel that it would be stealing from me," I clarified. He smiled weakly, but I could tell that he wasn't convinced. "If it makes you feel any better, it technically isn't even my money. You'd be stealing from my parents." He chuckled softly at that idea._

_I waited for an answer, but all I got was him pushing an uneaten pizza crust around his plate. He usually ate them, but he said he wasn't in the mood. After a few minutes, I sighed._

"_Look, I don't want you to do this for nothing," I said. "But I also know that you want me to have the skills. So I'll make you a deal. I will pay you half of what I'm paying now for lessons. That way I'm still paying you, but you'll feel less like you're robbing me."_

"_Fine. But that means that I'm going to put you through an actual training," he warned. "I'm talking full warm ups, actual routines, everything I know."_

_I gave a dramatic sigh. "I guess I can deal with that," I said with a groan, hoping it would at least get a reaction out of him. I could tell he already knew that I would agree, so I had to break him of his withdrawal._

_Edward laughed, finally bringing emotion back into his eyes for the first time since we started that discussion. "You really lay it on thick when you need to, Swan."_

"Bella? Earth to Bella…. Bells! Jeez, she's not even listening. Jazz, check if she's alive."

"Of course I'm alive, Alice," I grumbled. "A girl's allowed to daydream, you know."

"And exactly who were you daydreaming of? Oooh, it was Edward, wasn't it?" Alice was bouncing excitedly on the mattress next to me. I groaned and let my chin fall forward into my chest.

"Ali, honey, let's give Bella some space on the whole Edward thing," Jasper said carefully. "It looks like she doesn't really want to talk about it." Ah, Jasper…. Always the voice of reason.

Alice started to answer, but there was a knock on my bedroom door.

"Isabella, I know you're in there," I heard. My jaw dropped and I whipped my head around to look at Jasper.

"He said he was going to the Hamptons for the weekend," I hissed. "He said he wasn't going to be around."

Jasper raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Don't look at me. That's more than I knew."

"Isabella?" James called again. "Your mother said it would be alright if I took you out to dinner. I know you like to have some say in where we go, so please open the door so we can talk."

I took a deep breath before walking over and wrenching the door open. "This really isn't a good time, James," I started.

"Well, you seem to be entertaining guests," he said. "Is there any reason I wasn't informed?" He smiled patronizingly down at me and I gagged. Most women saw that look and swooned. I wanted to rip it off his head.

"Well, first of all, we're not married so you're not entitled to know about every single aspect of every single part of my life. Second of all, even if we were married, I'm allowed to entertain without a chaperone. And third, aren't you supposed to be in the Hamptons right now?" I didn't even care that I was being hypocritical with the last question.

He wasn't even listening anyway. His eyes were focused on the room behind me. I'd forgotten that he hadn't seen my room yet.

James pushed his way past me in order to enter my bedroom. He didn't say a word, preferring instead to inspect every aspect of my personal life without my consent.

"Books? Music? Is that really all you have in here?" he said when he finally looked back at me. "Aren't girls' rooms supposed to be filled to the brim with mementos from their handsome suitors? Where are the things I sent you?"

_Stuffed in a drawer where I don't have to see them_, I thought bitterly. However, I didn't have enough guts to actually say that. "Locked safely away where I can't lose them. Doesn't that mean more?"

"Yes, I suppose you're right," James mused, turning back to look around the room again. Alice turned to me and silently pantomimed throwing up behind his back. I barely managed to turn my laughter into what I hoped was a convincing cough. "We'll just have to get you some useless trinkets that you can keep on display so that you'll have something to show, but you won't care if it gets lost. Yes, that's good."

"Wasn't there something specific you came in to talk about, brother?" Jasper asked, subtly mocking James' formal diction. Thankfully James was dense enough to miss his brother's humor.

"Ah, yes. Thank you, brother," James said. "Isabella, your mother has agreed to let me accompany you to dinner out on the town tonight."

"Out on the town?" He was really starting to get on my nerves with his formality. He thought I liked it though.

"Yes, of course," he said. He turned to me and stood with his hands folded behind his back as if this were some affair of state. "She did mention, however, that you weren't up to having any company besides my brother and his new wife. So I would be willing to extend the invitation to them as well."

"I'll be ready in one hour," I sighed. James smiled and made a show of kissing my hand before leaving the room. I instantly tried to wipe off any traces of his DNA left on my skin. "I hate being engaged. I hate this society. I hate not being able to choose for myself…."

"Well, at least he thought of your comfort level," Alice said, trying to be helpful.

"He knows what's expected of him," I said. "Unfortunately, so do I. the only way I'm getting out of this dinner is a serious medical emergency."

"I could go steal a car and hit you with it," Alice offered.

I smiled over at her. "That has got to be the nicest thing anyone has said to me all day." I looked out my window, barely able to see New Moon Pizza in the distance. "But I have to do this. It's this or nothing, right?" Reluctantly, I pulled myself off my bed and over to my closet, wanting nothing more than to run three blocks across town to a nondescript tattoo parlor to see the one man I actually wanted to be with.

Too bad he was also the one man I could never have.

* * *

**AN: Yeah, that ending was a little sad, I know. Believe me, I'll make it up to you guys. Especially if you review.... :) But don't get used to me posting so often. I had April Break this week and I was procrastinating a ton on homework. That's not going to happen too often.**

**Next Chapter: We find out what Edward's been up to for three years....**

**Remember, please review!!**

**-Kaylee**


	3. The Undeniable Truth

**AN: I'm back! I need to apologize for the lack of update... Real life gets tough when you're into the last month of being a senior in high school (five more days of classes!!!). And I need to apologize in advance. I know for a fact that I won't be able to get the next chapter out until after graduation at the beginning of next month. But! To hold you over, I give you an extra 2000 words and an answer about Edward's past. Maybe you won't want to kill me now... No? Oh well, I tried.**

**I would also like to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, and put my story on alert, especially Oriana de la Rose. She is amazing and this story wouldn't have been posted without her encouragement.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Surely everyone already knew that.**

**Chapter 2 – The Undeniable Truth**

EPOV

_"Oh, Edward," Bella moaned as my hands ghosted over her skin. "I need you."_

_"Bella, beautiful Bella," I said, unable to look away from her face. My body rested above hers, skin touching skin. I pushed some of the hair out of her face as she continued to breathe deeply, almost heaving for breath._

_"Edward…"_

I shot up in bed, only to find myself alone in my sparse bedroom.

"Fuck," I muttered. I ran my hand through my hair and took a few deep breaths to try to calm my heart.

That was the third dream in a week I'd had about Bella. I had an idea about the reasoning, but I had to check my calendar to be sure. Heaving myself out of bed, I padded into the kitchen, not caring what I looked like. Just like every morning, I passed the one picture hanging on the walls and smiled sadly, giving into my one daily moment of my past life.

When it became too much, I sighed and moved on. I walked through the kitchen on autopilot, going through my usual routine. Set up the coffee machine, glance at the empty box of cigarettes, grab something easy to eat, and stop in front of the calendar. I brought my finger across this week to stop on Saturday. I saw a small heart drawn in the bottom corner.

"I knew it," I groaned.

Dreams of Bella less than five days apart usually meant that my body was not-so-subtly telling me I would see her. I tried to stop the dreams, but they just kept coming. I figured it came with the territory.

I loved her.

She knew it.

But her stupid society had stupid rules and she refused to break them. And because of that, she wouldn't allow herself to tell me how she truly felt about me.

I sighed, remembering the first time I'd asked her about it outright.

_I met her outside New Moon pizza and smiled at her. It was the first time in a while that she came in her own clothes, rather than something her mother forced on her for a date. She blushed slightly in the light, but smiled as well._

_We were greeted warmly by Jacob at the door. He led us to our usual, secluded table. After a year of coming there regularly, he knew where we liked to sit._

_Bella sat down and I made sure to sit on the opposite side of the table, as always. As much as I wanted to be able to touch her, as much as it would calm me down to be physically closer to her, I knew that it would be too much for her._

"_So, what's up in the world of tattoo art?" Bella asked eagerly. "Tell me everything. Have there been anymore drunken coeds getting their soon-to-be-ex significant others' names tattooed on their arms?"_

_I chuckled. "Thankfully no," I answered. "Though it is fun to mess with them by designing it to my standards rather than their specifications."_

"_Oh, you need to tell me about those," she begged, looking desperate for information. Like this was her only means of getting rid of something plaguing her mind._

"_I'm sorry," I said, keeping the tone light. "There's a strict patient-artist confidentiality contract signed when the customer comes back to have the offending body art removed. I'm not at will to speak of it without permission." She groaned, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. I knew she caught the joke in there. "Besides," I continued. "I have a feeling you just wanted to distract me from the fact that something's going on in your life."_

_Bella looked down at the table sheepishly, gently pushing her fork around in front of her. "It's not a big deal, Edward. Just forget about it."_

_I watched her, trying to gauge her feelings to try to discern what was going on in her life. But she never let me in enough to understand. Only to guess._

"_You know you can tell me anything, right, Bella?" I asked softly. Slowly, she made eye contact with me again. Her expression was softer and a weak smile played at her lips. She nodded. "Then you know that I'm here to help you. Nothing you can say is going to scare me away, but seeing you like this makes me think that something _is _wrong, whether you want to admit it or not."_

_Bella sighed. "It's this whole high society business. My mother wants me to plan every single second of every single day and use it to become a better housewife," she grumbled. "But I don't want to be a housewife. I want a husband who will love me and let me help him provide for the family. I don't want to be my mother." She looked into my eyes, silently pleading with me to understand. "I don't know how much more of it I can take. She hasn't found anyone for me yet, thank God. But the thought is there."_

"_Then run," I said bluntly. "Run away and don't look back. I'll help you, Bella. I'll get you out."_

_I wanted her to run away from them. To run to _me_. But I knew she wouldn't. she never did._

"_That's really sweet, Edward, but you know I can't," she said sadly._

_But I couldn't just leave the conversation like that. She needed to know her options. I wanted her to know that she _could_ get out if she wanted to, and she'd have a place to stay and someone to care for her._

"_Bella, I'm not doing this just because it's the right thing to do as a friend," I started. "I'm doing this because I care for you. As more than a friend. I can't bear to see you miserable." I put my heart on the line and hoped it was enough._

_Her eyes bugged out at my words. Her jaw dropped and I could tell her thoughts were buzzing around her mind nonstop. I couldn't blame her; I'd given her a lot to think about. I should have just let it go. Let her think it out on her own._

_But, no. I had to keep trying._

_I reached over and cupped her cheek in my hand. The table was narrow enough that I didn't have to extend my arm too much and I knew that I could reach her. I gently pushed off my seat and, before either of us knew it, my lips touched hers._

_For a second, we stared at each other, eyes wide, but my eyes closed and I lost myself in the sensation of kissing Bella. My lips moved against hers and soon she responded in kind. I could taste a hint of strawberries on her skin and the scent of freesia filled my nose._

"_Bella," I whispered against her mouth before continuing._

_Hearing her name made her pull away though. Her eyes opened slowly and her expression made me back up and sit back down. I saw a mix of surprise, hurt, and something else._

_Longing? Disappointment?_

_I couldn't tell._

"_What was that, Edward?" she said cautiously._

_I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. "I just got through basically spilling my guts and you ask me what that was?" I muttered. She was clearly even less experienced in this department than I was._

"_What are you talking about?" she said. She got a cute crease in her forehead, but I didn't notice._

"_Bella, I love you," I said. "I've loved you for a while, but I'm sick of hiding it. I needed you to know."_

"_No," she breathed. "No, this can't be happening." She buried her face in her hands, still muttering to herself. "Not this. Anything but this."_

"_Bella?" I hesitantly reached out and touched her shoulder, hoping to get some kind of response. But she jerked away from my hand. "What's wrong, Bella?"_

_When she looked up, her eyes were brimming with tears. "You can't love me. I don't want you to love me." She tried to blink the water out of her eyes, but a few tears fell down her cheeks._

"_What do you mean?" I asked slowly. A declaration of love was usually considered a good thing, but Bella was acting as if it was the worst thing that could have happened._

"_Edward, it's just not possible. You need to promise me that you won't mention it again," she said, pleading. "Please promise me."_

"_I just needed you to know, Bella," I said. There was no keeping the hurt out of my voice. Bella flinched at my tone, knowing that she said something wrong. "Of course I promise."_

The view of my boring kitchen refocused in my eyes. I groaned and dropped my coffee mug haphazardly into the sink.

There was nothing good about remembering that night. It just hurt too much. After Bella left the restaurant, I made a point of drowning my sorrows in old karate movies and pot smoke. I was messed up for the next three days. Emmett had to make a point of come and insure that I got some food in me. He hid my stash and insisted that I sleep it out. It's been almost two years since that night and it was still painful.

I heard a knock on my door and sighed. "Edward?" Rosalie yelled. "Don't make me come in there. You better not be smoking again."

I opened the door, fully aware that I was clad only in sweatpants. "I've been clean for a year and a half, Rose. I'm not about to blow it now."

"Well, good. Keep it that way." She walked into my living room, carrying a tray with two coffees on it. "I wasn't sure if you'd had your coffee yet, so I figured I'd come prepared."

"Only one cup so far," I said, taking my cup from her. "I threw the mug in the sink just before you knocked, so thank you."

"Why did you throw it in the sink? You usually have at least three cups before you go into work," she noted. I just sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, my most noticeable tactic to avoid anything. Rosalie noticed right away. "What were you thinking about? The accident?"

"No, for once, but thank you for bringing it up," I grumbled bitterly. Her expression morphed into some strange combination of sympathy, pity, and apology. None of which I really cared for. "No, I was thinking about Bella."

"Ah, the mystery woman," Rose said. "Yeah, that does usually tend to set you off."

"I'm not making her up, Rose," I said defensively. "She's not some figment of my imagination designed to help me prove to you that I'm not some misanthropic, anti-social, hermit of a human being."

"Then please, feel free to prove it," she said. She crossed her arms across her chest, making sure not to spill her coffee.

"Rose, you've seen the effects she's had on me. Isn't that enough?"

"For now. But I would like to meet her to at least thank her for changing you," she said.

I just shook my head. I was disappointed that I couldn't do this for Rose, but it wasn't up to me. "It's not my choice, Rosalie. She's not exactly… she's not like us per se."

"I don't care if she's half dolphin," Rose said. "I still want to meet her."

"I'll ask her, how about that?" I suggested. "Now, can I get ready for work alone, please?"

Rose smirked. "Nope," she said cheerily. "You're not going to work today. You need a break, so I called a couple of the interns in."

I glared at her. "And what, pray tell, does this break include?"

"Oh, Emmett's coming over in a little while," she shrugged. She took a big sip of her coffee. "I believe he's going to try to get you back into the world of sports."

"Great," I groaned. I downed my coffee and flopped onto the couch. "There's no point in trying to get out of it now. He's probably-"

"Don't worry, I'm here!" Emmett burst through the door with his traditional six pack of beer and bag of potato chips. "We are going to have an awesome day, bro! We're not leaving this apartment and you won't care."

"Emmett, I don't know if it's such a good idea," I started.

"It's never a good idea," he said. He stashed the food in the kitchen before coming back into the living room and putting his arm around Rose. She smiled up at him and leaned into his embrace. I cleared my throat softly and Emmett had the sense to look away from Rose. "Besides, you used to love baseball."

"Yeah, back when I was still in college." There were a lot of things that I liked back then. Not many of them ever came back. Not even baseball.

"Come on, Eddie," Emmett said, looking like a pouty four-year-old.

I grimaced and sighed. "If you promise not to call me Eddie again," I said. "Ever."

My cousin grinned and pumped one of his fists into the air in victory. I swore he was about to go into some victory dance too before Rosalie stopped him.

"Okay, big guy, let's not get too full of ourselves," she said with a chuckle. "I'm going to work now, so you two are on your own. Emmett, I expect at least two of those beers to still be full when I get back. Edward, at least pretend that you're enjoying yourself. For Bella if no one else." I glared at her, but she just smiled innocently. Rose stood on her tiptoes to kiss him goodbye, though she knew she would see him in a few hours during her break.

"Alright, bro, let's get you re-instated into the world of America's favorite pastime," Emmett said as Rose shut the door on her way out. I wanted nothing more at that moment than to follow her, but my fate was handed to me in the form of a bag of potato chips.

There was no way I was getting out of sitting on my ass for the rest of the day.

"Oh, come on! That was the stupidest call you've ever made! He was totally on base!"

After five straight hours of watching games, baseball was starting to creep back into my mind. I was reacquainted with old favorites, learned about newcomers, and found myself yelling at the television like I used to.

"Yo, Ed, sit down! They're fighting it," Emmett said with a chuckle. "I guess you're back into the game, huh?"

I plopped myself back onto the couch and watched the coach's argument with the umpire. Raking my fingers through my hair, I debated how much to tell Emmett about the reason I was changing. "I guess I am," I started cautiously.

"Any particular reason?" my cousin questioned as he took another swig of his beer.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure you're going to like it."

He whipped around and glared at me. "If you're smoking again, I swear I will beat the shit out of you."

My eyes widened, not having even considered him thinking of that. "Fuck, no. Do you really not trust me?"

Emmett sighed and chugged the rest of his beer. If he'd answered right away, I would have known he was just faking his sympathy. "I'm really sorry, man. But you need to understand the shit I've watched you go through. The hardest thing I've ever done was watch you sit on the couch and twitch with a fever after I trashed your stash. I don't want you to go through that again."

I sighed and rested my head against the back of the couch. "I know, Emmett. But it still stings that that's the first thing that pops into your mind. It has nothing to do with drugs. I'll never get into that shit again."

"Well, that's good to hear," he said. "Do I get to know the real reason behind this staggering transformation, then?"

"I suppose you're entitled to know, but I still have a feeling you won't like it," I said, running my fingers through my hair. I launched into the story of how I'd met Bella and everything I'd been through with her. "I'm seeing her this weekend and I hate seeming like the lifeless bastard I am around you guys. And frankly, I'm sick of being like that around you guys."

Emmett listened intently through the entire story, interrupting only for clarification. He watched me pace as I talked on and on. The baseball game was long over, the reporters now analyzing it, but neither of us cared. My cousin was suspiciously quiet as I finished telling the story though.

"Well, that explains a lot," Emmett said after a minute of silence.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I now understand many of your changes and why you get so depressed after you go out," he answered matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I guess it would." I sighed and sat back down on the couch. Emmett turned to look at me, but I stayed facing the muted TV.

"You really do love her, don't you?"

I nodded slowly. "I really do, but nothing will ever come of it."

It was the most depressing conclusion I'd ever come to, but it was accurate based on Bella's reactions.

"I'm sure it'll all work out in the end," Emmett concluded. That was the end of that conversation.

Emmett left with Rose around nine that night. Rosalie assured me that the shop was still perfectly intact and that the interns hadn't ruined anything. I didn't completely believe her, but it would have to do. I would see for myself eventually.

I was left by myself once again, but I felt a little more alive. Maybe things were starting to look up.

Then I caught sight of the picture on my wall. Specifically the newspaper article resting in the lower right corner.

"Shit," I muttered. "Looks like I'll be late to work tomorrow."

I stood in front of the picture for a few minutes, leaning against the opposite wall, trying not to break down, before I could call Rose to inform her I would be late. I didn't say anything about why, but I had a feeling she already knew.

Sleep didn't hit me for a few hours until after I let the wave of memories and mixed emotions hit me. There was no way I would feel refreshed in the morning.

I woke up with a throbbing headache, but it was better than expected and I was able to ignore it after I chugged a few cups of coffee.

Ignoring everything I usually went by, I had a total of six cups of coffee that morning. It was a tradition to drink more than normal on the worst day of my year, but it never went past four. I figured the added bonus of dealing with the Bella-related issues was finally getting to me.

I walked out of my apartment building and headed straight for the florist. The girl behind the counter smiled sadly when she saw me. Kate knew exactly what I was there for; her family was very close with my aunt and uncle. She went to the back room and came back with a bouquet of roses and a single white lily.

"Thanks Kate," I said, handing her the exact amount of cash.

"No problem. Give them my regards, will you?" she said as she gave me the flowers.

I headed back through town, guarding the flowers against the rain that had just started. _The weather is starting to match my moods_, I thought absently.

It took a little over twenty minutes to get there, but I finally spotted the little, wrought-iron gate. I was soaked, but my jacket had kept the rain off the flowers so far. I took a deep breath before opening the gate.

The cemetery was quiet and empty at this time in the morning. I pushed my way through the wall of rain and followed the familiar path toward the cherry tree in the back corner of the property. At the foot of the tree lay the only gravestone I cared about. I read over the words that I'd written and looked over time and again, and fell to my knees in front of it.

_**Edward A. Masen Sr. Elizabeth C. Masen  
**__**6 September 1967 – 10 May 2004 14 July 1969 – 10 May 2004**_

_**Loving parents,  
**__**Faithful to the end,  
**__**Taken much too early.**_

"Five years," I murmured. "Five long, lonely years." I gently set the flowers in front of the stone, the roses under my mother's name, the lily under my father's. I gently placed my hand above my heart, knowing there was one reminder that I would always have.

I silently thanked the weather for the rain. I couldn't tell if I was crying or not. But I could definitely feel a lump rising in my throat as I ran my fingers over their names. What I wouldn't give to have them back in my life.

_Bella._

At first I didn't recognize the connection. What did Bella have to do with my parents? Then it clicked.

She was the one thing I would never give up. If having my parents back meant losing Bella, maybe it was for the best. Maybe it was part of that foolproof plan my mother always rambled on about, sacrificing herself for the sake of my future. It sounded exactly like something she would do.

"You'd love her, Momma," I said softly. I couldn't have spoken louder even if I wanted to. "She's a lot like you were, but much more stubborn. She's loyal, adorably clumsy, doesn't care what others think of her for the most part, and, boy, is she beautiful. I wish you could meet her. She could hold a conversation with you, Dad. She's read almost everything you had on your bookshelf. Her anger management is drowning in classical music. She's absolutely perfect."

My voice was hoarse, but I kept talking. I explained exactly what I'd told Emmett the night before, but as I spoke to no one, I remembered telling Bella about my past. That was one of the best nights I'd ever spent with her.

_Bella walked through the doors of New Moon Pizza and waved to the staff before heading straight for me. She had a cute light purple dress with an off-white formal coat over it._

_She looked beautiful._

_She plopped herself into the seat across from me unceremoniously, almost ripping the coat off her shoulders. "Please tell me you brought a change of clothes for me," she begged._

_I grinned and set an Old Navy bag in the middle of the table. "I believe you owe me now," I said as she rifled through what I brought._

"_Yeah, yeah, it's in the coat pocket. I'll be right back." She ran to the bathroom, leaving me alone._

_Jacob walked up to the table and smiled at me. "Should I even bother asking anymore? The two of you always order the same thing. But your predictability is charming."_

"_Careful, Jake. If you keep this up, Embry's going to come hunt me down," I chuckled._

"_Nah, he's cool with it. He said it wouldn't care as long as he got some of the action," the man in front of me suggested._

"_Sorry, man. I'm not really into that stuff," I answered, using the same response as always._

"_Well, at least I tried," Jake said with a shrug before leaving to get the food._

_Bella came back then clad in the sweatpants and tank top I'd provided her. She looked much more comfortable and had thrown her hair up in a ponytail. "I have a feeling I owe you a lot more than a mix CD for this," she said. She pulled the case out of her coat pocket and slid it across the table._

"_Really, Bella, don't mention it." I picked up the CD and scanned through the list of songs. It was the best way I could find to learn more about her without asking her point blank. She hated being the center of attention like that._

_I froze as I got part of the way down the list. I could feel the color drain from my face._

"_Edward?"_

_Her song. Why did Bella have _her_ song on this list?_

"_Edward? What's wrong?" Bella's voice broke me out of my reverie. I could hear the panic in her voice. "Is there something wrong with the CD? Oh god, I didn't give you the one mean to be for Alice, did I?"_

"_No, Bella," I assured her. "There's nothing wrong with the CD."_

"_Then why does your face happen to be the same shade of white as my napkin? You're scaring me, Edward."_

"_It's her song," I whispered, looking back at the list. "I haven't heard it in three and a half years. I don't think I can do it yet."_

"_Who?" Bella asked softly._

"_My mother. This was her favorite song," I said. When I met Bella's gaze, my eyes were welling up with tears. "And I'll never get to see her again."_

"_What do you mean, Edward?"_

_I sighed and focused on the pattern in the wood on the table. This was something Bella needed to know about me if we were to be friends or anything else. It was really the only thing that she didn't know about me yet. "My parents are dead, Bella."_

_Her eyes widened and she shook her head, starting to answer, but I cut her off._

"_Four years ago, I was a normal nineteen year old. I was at a good college, on my way to a decent job in medical research. Everything was fine. I had no reason to hate my life." I took a deep breath and my eyes unfocused as I remembered. "It was the last week of classes in my sophomore year. They were coming to stay in town until classes ended and then take me home with them. The hotel they were staying at was across town, so they got a rental car. My dad insisted that they drive me back to my dorm after a late dinner._

"_There wasn't much traffic. There was only one other car in the major intersection, but my dad didn't see him until it was too late. The other car had swerved into our lane, hitting us head on." My voice cracked as I spoke. Bella reached over and took my hand, urging me to go on and comforting me at the same time._

"_I was in the back, but I had my legs turned since there wasn't enough leg room. My parents were crushed. I called 911 in a panic, but they just acted like it was no big deal, saying they would get there as soon as they could. I fought to untangle myself from the wreckage before I could get to my parents. They were both crushed to death already, but I could still see their fingers entwined. The last thing in the world they could do to show they cared." A tear rolled down my cheek._

"_It was a drunk driver," I continued angrily. "He was three times over the cutoff for being drunk and going twice the speed limit. He suffered limited mobility from the waist down and suffered a minor concussion. I lose both my parents and he gets a fucking concussion. He ruined my life."_

"_So that's why you're on your own," Bella guessed. She kept her answer short, but there was a leading question underneath that comment. Bella was carefully, but obviously, hiding her reactions in an effort to keep me talking. She thought that if I wasn't worried about how she would respond, it would be easier for me to continue._

_For the most part, she was right. But I had to keep going, even if I knew this would hurt._

"_No, not completely," I sighed. "At first, I went to live with Emmett and his parents, my Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle. But I couldn't look at them every day and how they would interact and know that I could never have that with my own parents again._

"_It screwed me up. The first thing I tried was cutting, but it didn't help enough. I only did it twice. I'd heard that alcohol helped take the edge off, but I swore never to touch the stuff. I flipped out anytime anyone even suggested it. Having your parents killed by a drunk driver while you're in the car tends to leave an impression for things like that."_

_Bella nodded, but didn't try to speak again, for which I was grateful. Now that I had started talking, it all just came tumbling out._

"_I dropped out of college. I felt like there wasn't a reason to be there anymore. But before I left, there was one party I went to, figuring I would just drown myself in some feeling other than what I'd been going through. There was one guy in the corner who looked like he was the king of the world. Like nothing could ruin his life. When I asked him about it, he just smiled wider and handed me a small bag. He promised me it would get rid of all my problems. That was the beginning of the cocaine addiction."_

_I saw Bella cringed as I described this. I wasn't happy about this period of my life, but she needed to know. I had to keep talking. It hurt to see her response, but it was better not to hide it from her._

"_It took Emmett about three months to figure out what was going on. By then, I'd turned into a shadow of the person I'd once been. Nothing was the same. But Emmett didn't agree that drugs were the solution. He found my stash and trashed it, making me go cold turkey. There was nothing I could do."_

"_But it worked, right?"Bella's worried voice made me look up at her. She was incredibly concerned and I hated myself for wanting – needing – to tell the truth and ruin it._

"_He got rid of the cocaine addiction, yes. But by then, I'd started experimenting. Once Emmett had stepped in, I focused on marijuana. I couldn't go more than three hours without a joint. My family couldn't notice the effects from that. It was too much like the effects from grieving, but I felt better mentally. They never noticed the smell. It kept me stable enough to get an apartment. I had money from my parents, but I hated using it. I wanted a job to earn my own money._

"_I was walking through town to see who was hiring when I saw Twilight. I realized there was one thing I could do to always have something to remind me of my parents. That was when I got my first tattoo. It seemed like someplace I wouldn't mind working, so I asked Garrett, the manager at the time, if he was hiring. That was the best day I'd had since the accident."_

_Bella took my pause as an indication that I was finished. "Was that it? Is that how you started healing?"_

_I shook my head sadly and saw her cringe again. "No, Bella. I wasn't even on the road to healing until I met you. All I did was eat, smoke, sleep, and work. I was a wreck, Bella. I didn't think there would ever be anything to help me. But you did."_

_Bella was stunned. "No, it had nothing to do with me. You were fine when I met you. A little stoned, I'll admit, but fine."_

"_Only because seeing you made me _want_ to be whole again. I'm nowhere near that point yet, but you put me on the right track. You will never have any idea how much you've helped me, Bella."_

_She squirmed in her seat, clearly not happy with my conclusion. She wanted to argue, but she knew that I was just as stubborn as her. "As long as you're healing," she finally said. "And you know that you should never hesitate to call me if you need to talk."_

"_I know, Bella," I said with a smile. She always made sure to tell me that, but I never wanted to burden her. I _couldn't _burden her. But she needed to know._

I couldn't have asked for a better reaction from her. She supported me while silently criticizing all my bad choices.

"She's all I need and all I can't have," I said, once again focusing on my parents' grave. It was time to leave them again. I placed my hand above my heart, over the first tattoo I'd ever gotten. "I love you both and I'll never forget you." I ran my fingers over their names before I finally found the strength to get up.

I let one tear fall down my cheek before turning from my past and heading back to the real world. The only thing that allowed me to do that without reverting back to lifeless, drugged up Edward was the thought of seeing Bella.

That was enough.

I walked into Twilight fifteen minutes later and found Rosalie in the middle of creating a sketch for a girl around my age. Rose spotted me and looked up.

"You okay?" she asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I think I'll be fine."

* * *

**AN: There you have it. Please review. Just don't come hunt me down. I'm sure I can find someone who wouldn't be very happy. I promise I'll try to get it up as soon as I can, but it won't be for at least two weeks. Reviews might get it here faster... Please take this as a major hint to review.**

**Next chapter: Edward gets to see Bella again.**

**-Kaylee**

* * *


	4. Escape

**AN: *peeks out from behind a corner* Hi everyone. I told you I would update. Just took me a while. But, once again, it's longer. This chapter is about twice as long as the prologue. And - if you've looked down a few lines to see the chapter title - don't get too excited yet. We are getting closer to Bella-leaving-James-for-Edward time, but we're not there yet. You need to be patient. Now, I have a few points to cover before we get to the chapter. If you want to skip them, fine, but I would really appreciate it if you stuck with me fore a minute. The chapter will still be there.**

**So, first point. I got a couple comments in the reviews about the title of the story. I know it's incredibly cliche and it would be a hell of a lot more intriguing if I changed it. Normally, I name my work towards the end, but it's a little harder to do that with Fanfiction. So I used the title of the song I based it on. But, even I'm kind of sick of the title. I would really appreciate it if in the review I know you're all going to leave *hint hint* that you let me know whether or not you like the title and/or if you have a suggestion for a newer, better title that I could use.**

**Second point! I need to apologize. Again. I didn't have anyone proofread this chapter so it probably sucks. So, I'm sending the plea out into world for an actual, honest-to-God Beta. I've never had one before so I don't have a list of people that I can go beg to do it. But, if you would like to, please let me know!**

**See, that wasn't so hard. Now onto the disclaimer, then the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie. I don't own anything to do with Twilight except worn copies of the books, a copy of the DVD, and a cardboard cutout of Edward my friend got me as a gag gift for my 18th birthday.**

**Chapter 3 – Escape**

BPOV

"This is one of your own personal requirements, Bella. You can't really fight it," Jasper reminded me as I prepared for a date with James. I had begged for Alice to help me get ready and, of course, Jasper tagged along, only to sit there and watch his wife flit around the room.

"I know," I groaned, trying not to wince as Alice curled my hair. "But it wouldn't be an issue if your brother wasn't such a…." I trailed off, looking for an appropriate word.

"Douche? Asshole? Retard? Really, you won't offend me with anything. I don't associate with them anymore," my friend said with a smile.

"I was think mentally incapacitated ape, but retard works too," I chuckled. "Maybe I can just train him. I mean-"

"You will never make it out of this room alive if you keep moving your head, Bella," Alice threatened from behind me. I could see her wielding the curling iron as a sword to help prove her point.

"Alright, I'll let you work your magic," I said, rolling my eyes.

Twenty minutes of curling, pinning, and pulling later, Alice finally declared that I was ready to go. I stood up and looked in the mirror to see what my best friend had transformed me into. I knew the red dress that I was wearing was designed to make someone of my figure look good, but it wasn't bordering on slutty like the outfits Alice usually tried to force me into.

My hair was swept into a curly half-up style that only Alice could manage to create. She made the curls even and bouncy, but toned down the dress to make the ensemble more elegant. At my request, she kept my makeup subtle.

These were all things that I did in an attempt to make James see that I wasn't one of those girls who would bow to his every whim. I wouldn't wait on him hand and foot. I wouldn't come whenever he called.

I would not be owned.

"Well, I think you've certainly outdone yourself this time, Bella," Jasper chuckled. "James will probably try something as soon as the two of you are alone."

"Let's see him try," I smiled, knowing that I had defense training on my side.

"So, when do you want me to save you?" Alice said, now absently flipping through a magazine as I slipped on my shoes.

"I'll shoot you a text," I decided, not knowing how soon I would want to get out of there. "Who knows? I might actually make it all the way through this one." I chuckled and hugged my friends before they left.

I sighed and took a deep, calming breath before heading downstairs to face my mother. She was waiting impatiently a few feet away from the end of the stairs, tapping her toes as she waited for me. When she spotted me, her anxious expression grew softer.

"Oh, Isabella, you look wonderful," she said. She took my hands and led me into the living room to wait for my fiancé to show up.

"Thank you, Mother," I said. "Now, tell me, what else in my life would you like to plan today?"

"I do not plan your entire life," she corrected. "I simply try to help you make the right decisions."

"Right, thanks." I resisted rolling my eyes.

I briefly wondered what her reaction would be if I had said that I didn't want to marry James in favor of starting a relationship with Edward. He had mentioned it more than once and he was getting more and more insistent each time. It was getting harder to resist. The last time he mentioned it was a few weeks after my engagement to James was announced.

"_I'm so sorry I'm late, Edward," I said as I came running into New Moon Pizza. He quickly came out of the booth when he heard me and caught me in his arms before I fell over something._

"_You really need to be careful," he chuckled. "I'd rather have you here late than in multiple pieces."_

_I smiled sweetly up at him and went to sit at the table. "I really am sorry. Everything's been crazy around my house," I said apologetically. "I had trouble even leaving the premises."_

"_They finally find you a decent man, then?" Edward joked. My expression morphed into sadness and I leaned forward to rest my forehead against the table, not wanting to look at Edward. "Oh no," he breathed. "Bella, no, I'm so sorry. I didn't actually think-"_

"_It's okay," I said weakly. "I'm just still wrapping my head around the idea. It's just a lot to take in and my mother has been throwing the whole thing in my face trying to get me to make decisions. It's too much right now, that's all."_

_I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and raised my head a little to look at Edward. His eyes were filled with different emotions that I couldn't decipher. "You know my apartment is always open as an escape," he said. He probably didn't trust himself with saying anything else at that point._

_I smiled weakly and put my hand over his. "I know and I really appreciate the offer," I said. "But I really just need to get used to it. It would be better if I stayed." I sighed and finally willed myself to sit up again. "Okay, sorry about that. I think I'm okay."_

"_Bella, don't apologize. You know you can tell me anything and I'll listen to whatever you have to say," Edward said. "As long as I don't find you in an alleyway again, I won't mind listening to anything that you have to say. So, let's get the basics out of the way. Who is this guy, do I have to beat him up, and why the fuck don't you have a ring on your finger?"_

_His last question was enough to pull a laugh from my mouth and Edward granted me a smirk in return. I was amazed that he had noticed the lack of a ring at all._

"_Well, if you must know, he said that he didn't get me a ring yet because he – and I'm quoting here – felt the need to tell me was more important than a fucking rock." Edward's jaw dropped and he sputtered. My lips were pushed together in a tight line, trying not to laugh._

"_He wants to marry you and he's saying things like _that_? Doesn't he know that girls dream about their engagements rings?" he finally managed. He looked adorable, reaching for the right words and barely finding them as he went to speak. This was one of the few times I seriously regretted shooting him down when he told me he loved me._

_Even that thought sent my heart into hysterics._

_The irresistible man across from me, worked up because some idiot had arranged to marry me without getting me a ring, was in love with _me_._

_How the hell had I resisted him? I'd spent almost two and a half years asking myself that question. I was no closer to an answer and still in the same predicament._

"_Yes, Edward, I'm sure he does. But he's a stuck up rich kid. He just doesn't care," I explained._

"_He should care about you if he wants to marry you."_

_I smiled sweetly at him. "Sadly, not many guys are hopeless romantics like you, Edward."_

"_Will you at least tell me who this guy is so that I know who to hunt down and beat the shit out of the next time I see him?" Edward's teeth were clenching and he was hissing as he talked. If I wasn't working so hard to resist him, his possessiveness would have made me putty in his skilled hands._

_I sighed and rolled my eyes. "You remember me telling you about my best friends? Specifically Jasper?" Edward nodded, confused as to why I was mentioning my married best friend. "My fiancé is Jasper's older brother, James."_

_His brow furrowed. "So, shouldn't that be a good thing? Everything that you've told me about Jasper has been overwhelmingly positive… I don't get it."_

"_Jasper was the only good seed in the family," I said sadly. "And there was no one for him but Alice."_

"_So, this James… is he more teenage, druggie, bad boy or mobster, gang rapist bad?" My green-eyed love interest looked confused beyond belief._

"_More like rich kid wannabe-mobster type bad," I said, trying to get a clear picture for him. "Not dangerous, but not the best kid in the area. I know I can handle him." I smiled at Edward, subtly referring to the self-defense he'd been teaching me for the past two and a half years._

"_I'm sure you can," Edward chuckled. That small laugh went straight through me, settling between my legs. Yet another thing that made me consider leaving my cozy little world of the rich and famous: James would never have that effect on me. Edward's expression grew somber. "Promise me there won't be a need for it," he begged, his body visibly tensing as he spoke. "Promise me there will never be a reason to find you in an alleyway on a dark night. Please, Bella."_

_His hand had curled into a fist as he spoke. I wasn't sure if he knew it, but it would hurt him if he kept it like that. I took his hand in both of mine, gently working his fingers open. I refused to meet his gaze, not sure how I would react. I took a deep breath and responded to him, trying to relax his hand as I spoke._

"_I don't want there to ever be a reason for that to happen again," I answered honestly. "But the world works in strange ways. Maybe ending up in a dark alleyway is where I'm supposed to be. Maybe it will mean being with the one man I'm meant to marry. Maybe it will lead me away from my shithole of an existence."_

_Edward's hand had relaxed at my touch and I was absently tracing the lines in his palm until the last five words of my speech. Then his fingers curled back, trapping my smaller hand within his._

"_Sorry, I forgot your opinion on my lack of self confidence," I mumbled. My eyes were still focused on our hands. I saw his hand squeeze mine once before relaxing again. I resumed lightly tracing the patters in his palm. We sat in silence for a few minutes, neither of us content to break the silence._

"_What if it was me?" Edward murmured a few minutes later. I looked up at him, shocked, only to find him staring down at our hands. I kept staring at his expression, willing myself to figure out what he was talking about._

"_What do you mean, Edward?" I whispered._

_He didn't move. It was almost like he didn't hear me. His eyes were sad as they looked at my hand. There was a spark of _something _there, but I couldn't decide what it was exactly._

"_What if you weren't meant to have _another_ run-in with an alley? What if the first one was _the _one? What if I'm the ticket out of riches?" His voice helped me detect that spark in his eyes._

_Hope._

_I knew he loved me. He made sure I knew. He spent so much of our time together making sure that I knew._

_And all I did was reject him when I knew I loved him back._

_What was wrong with me?_

"_Edward, you _have_ been my escape these past few years. You've kept me sane," I said sincerely. "Isn't that enough?"_

_He sighed, nodding. "For now," he added quietly, so quietly that I believed he didn't intend for me to hear him. He finally looked back up at me. "But, Bella, you know that you can do anything you want. No matter what your family says. If you want out of this marriage, you need to tell them."_

Edward never could let anything go, but it was nice to know that he cared so much. It was nice to know that not all men were like James.

"Isabella, did you start daydreaming? I hope you don't do this during your time with James," my mother scolded me. "It's not polite for a woman to ignore the man that she's with. Unless he is incredibly dull, but you don't have to worry about-"

"Mother, let me assure you that I do not daydream during my time with James."

That was mainly because he barely gave me room to think.

"Well, that's good to hear. Now, I want to know where the two of you are going tonight. The girls want to know everything and I promised that I would fill them in on every little detail." My mother looked so excited to be transforming into the town gossip. It almost made me not want to burst her bubble.

Almost.

Then I remembered all the things that I she'd done to me that I was less than thrilled about. The set ups, the parties, the _engagement_.

"Sorry, Mother. You're not getting anything out of me tonight," I said with a smirk. I heard a knock at the door and breathed a sigh of relief. I never thought I would be happy to see James.

"Have fun! Don't get into any trouble!" my mother called after me.

If only I could have fun. It would make my life so much easier.

I opened the door to find James looking handsome in crisp dress pants, an ironed black shirt, and a white tie. He was holding a single red rose out for me.

I took the flower gingerly and smiled down at it, knowing it was probably going to be the only worthwhile gift I would ever get from him. My smile dropped as soon as I realized that the only reason he was giving it to me was because it was expected of him. Or maybe Jasper told him to, but that wasn't likely.

"Thank you, James," I said. I tried to keep the sadness out of my voice. "Let's just go. My mother is determined to squeeze every tiny detail out of us to tell her friends. And I'm sure you don't want to miss the reservations."

He laughed. "Well, I'm sure it would be easier to tell her after anyway." James held out his arm for me, as always, playing the part of a gentleman. "Let's be off then."

It took us ten minutes to get to the restaurant. It was a five-star place downtown, designed to be the perfect date destination for couples like James and I.

We sat at a comfortable table for two near the front window. Another one of James' brilliant ideas to show me off and another one of the things about him that I couldn't stand.

"So, Isabella, how have you been?" he asked once we sat down.

"James, you've seen me every day this week. You know how I've been," I said bluntly, not even bothering to look at my menu. James was one to order for the girl without asking her. "It's not like much has changed since last night."

"Oh, I'm sure it has. You always come up with crazy stories. And I'm sure that you spent some time with my brother and his… wonderful wife. Nothing happened with them, then?" he said, barely looking up from the menu.

"Nothing worth noting, no," I answered. I didn't feel like divulging any of my time with friends to him. Even if he was my fiancé, I didn't consider him a friend. "Unless you consider Alice and I talking about her latest shopping trip while Jasper sat on the side and read for a while something worth noting."

"I've heard that those stories can get long," James commented as the waiter came up. "Ah, yes. Can we get a bottle of Chardonnay, one order of grilled salmon and an order of chicken parmesan? We won't be ordering dessert, so we'll take the check as soon as it is ready."

The waiter nodded and wrote down the order before walking away. I came so close to calling him back and ordering chicken alfredo for myself, but I resisted the urge. Maybe I would get lucky and the chicken parm would be for me.

"So, where was I? Right, my day. Well, you know my job is all about selling to clients…" James settled into telling me about his pointless job. It was always the same. Clients with problems. Clients want money. Clients withholding information. Clients trying to con him out of money. And yet he always fixed it. He was the hero of the office.

I zoned out and started imagining him as an actual superhero of his office. I'd been there before, so it was pretty easy to picture the setting.

Picturing James as a hero, on the other hand, was not so easy. I tried a Clark Kent-type image, with the suit that pulled back to reveal red and blue spandex. I hid my laughing fit as a cough, but he barely noticed. He continued with his rant.

I tried picturing him as Batman, the normal guy who managed to be extraordinary. I threw out that option as soon as it came up. There was no way he could ever be extraordinary.

I went through Wolverine, Aqua Man, Iron Man, Mermaid Man, Cyclops… every superhero I could think of. But the only image that even remotely fit was Robin. Batman's high school sidekick. He couldn't even measure up to the big guys.

A smile spread across my face as a picture of Edward as a superhero popped up right next to James as Robin. Edward was a few inches taller, filled out the suit in all the right places, and looked much more modest. James didn't come close to looking close to looking the part. Edward was obviously the better choice in that comparison. My smile faded as the realization that I could never have Edward seeped back in and my mind fell into reality.

"So, it was really only one tiny little mistake that ruined everything, but they were all too incompetent to notice," James continued, not even aware that I hadn't been paying attention. "I had to jump in to be the hero. Again."

"That's wonderful, James," I said, playing along. "I'm so glad for you."

"Yes, well, it's all in a day's work," he said with a proud smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to leave for a minute, my sweet." _Ew_, I thought. I think I threw up a little in my mouth from the pet name. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

I smiled and nodded, trying to hide my enthusiasm at a moment alone. As soon as his back was turned I pulled out my phone and shot a text to Alice.

_Ten minutes. Maybe less. I don't know how much more I can stand. –B_

I shut the phone and took a deep breath. I almost pulled my fingers through my hair before I remembered the curls Alice would kill me for ruining.

I checked the time. We had already been at the restaurant for forty-five minutes and James barely even recognized that I was there. He had to be one of the worst dates in history.

My phone buzzed and I whipped it open, hoping to find Alice's confirmation.

_How's your night going? Any hot dates? ;) –E_

Edward. Of course.

I smiled again, knowing he would be able to cheer me up. I typed in a quick reply telling him that I was with "Lame James" for the night, but trying to escape. I knew Edward would appreciate the stupid nickname that I had for my fiancé. The only thing I could hope for was that he wouldn't offer any more advice today.

Alice's reply came first.

_Eight minutes and counting. –Ali_

I knew there was a reason I loved her. She was always there when I needed her. Edward's message came soon after.

_Prince Charming's got the white steed ready to go if needed. –E_

It was hard to turn him down, but somehow I managed.

_Sorry, the woodland pixies have got it under control. I'll call you later. –B_

I spotted James coming back to the table so I had to stash my phone in the top of my purse before he could see it. He didn't need to know it was there until Alice called.

"Well, that's taken care of now," he said as he sat back down, scooting his chair closer to hers. "Now, let's talk about-"

Bless Alice. My phone started ringing three minutes early.

"I'm sorry, James," I said, planting an apologetic smile on my face. "I told Alice not to call me unless it was an emergency. I hope it's not too bad… Hello?"

"So, am I awesome or what?" Alice started cheerfully. "Now, which story are you going with tonight?"

I wasn't completely sure on which story I would choose, so I gave her a code phrase for which level I wanted. "Oh no, that's terrible!"

"Alrighty, then, let's see what we got," she said. I heard rustling in the background and I assumed she was pulling out the list of stories we made. "Family medical emergency? Robbery? Breakup?"

I needed something a little better than that, so I knew I had to try a different approach. "Aw, honey," I said, faking sympathy. I peeked over at James to see how he was taking it.

He looked appropriately concerned. Perfect.

"Okay, not family then. Something better. Robbery's still a key player. So is breakup… maybe both?" Alice suggested, clearly confused.

And we have a winner. I quickly formulated a story in my head and decided it would work for my purposes. "He took _everything_? He had no right!"

"Oooh, new plotline. I like it. You know you're going to be telling me exactly how this plays out later, right?" Alice said excitedly.

"Don't worry about anything, I'll be right over," I said. I sighed dramatically and set my phone down in front of me, taking a second before I turned to face James. "I'm so sorry, James, but I really have to go. One of my friends' psycho ex boyfriend broke into her apartment and took everything. The bed, the TV, the furniture, the _food_…. I really need to go make sure she's okay. I might be with her for a few days. She'll need all the help she can get. I need to be there for her. Don't be surprised if you can't reach me." I stood up to leave and lightly touched his shoulder. "I'm really sorry I had to bail on you."

He smiled up at me. "It's fine, Isabella. You go make sure your friend is okay."

"Thank you for understanding," I managed to say before I turned and walked briskly out of the fancy restaurant.

I pushed open the front doors and breathed a sigh of relief as the cool night air washed over my face. It was chilly enough that I should have brought a sweater with me, but I didn't particularly care.

Jasper was waiting in a nondescript car near the edge of the parking lot. He waved me over as soon as I saw him.

"You owe me," he said simply as I slid into the passenger side seat.

"Ok, you came to _this_ restaurant on _this_ side of town in the Getaway Car," I retorted. "I don't owe you anything."

"I hate it when you call it that," Jasper grumbled. He started the car and had us on the way to his apartment in no time.

"You and I both know that it looks like something out of an old mafia movie. There is no better name for it," I said, stating my case. "It sticks out like a glowing alien on this side of town."

It took fifteen minutes to get back to my friends' new home. The ride was calming for me. It gave me a chance to breathe and a chance to realize that I now had a few days of fiancé-free, party-free, mother-free Bella time. My body relaxed into the seat and I leaned my head against the window. I was half asleep by the time the car stopped.

Jasper helped me out of the warm car and led me into their apartment. He let me rest my head on his shoulder as he helped me inside.

Alice was waiting inside, practically bouncing in place. "So, Bella, what happened? Don't forget you promised to tell me about the new story," she said. "Come on, we haven't had girl talk in so long!"

I cringed more into Jasper's shoulder. "No talk," I mumbled. "Must sleep."

Alice crossed her arms and stalked closer to me. She stopped a few inches in front of me. "Liar," she gasped as she inspected my face. "Dirty rotten little liar! You just don't want to talk to me. Is that it? Am I not good enough?"

"Uh-oh," Jasper muttered. He made the smart decision to let me go and move out of the situation even though I was using him as a crutch.

"Ali, please don't hate me right now. I just need a couple hours to myself," I begged. "I promise I'll tell you what happened. Hell, I'll even cave and give you a few more Edward details. But for right now, I'm just going to lock myself in the guest room and enjoy the feeling of being _alone_ for once."

The tiny figure in front of me held my gaze for a minute. Something in my expression must have tipped her off that I really was telling the truth. Her face softened and she wrapped her arms gently around me.

"I'm sorry, Bella," she said quietly. "Take all the time you need." She looked up at me with a mischievous grin. "But the second you come out of that room, you're getting the interrogation of a lifetime." Alice giggled and kissed my cheek before skipping into the kitchen.

"And that is my lovely wife," Jasper chuckled. He put his hand on my shoulder. "I'll try to get her to go easy on you, Bells. Go relax."

I smiled up at him. "Thanks, Jasper. You're the best."

An hour later, I was still wound up. I couldn't find a single thing that would calm me down. Every little sound had me paranoid, like my parents had figured out exactly what happened and were coming to lock me away in a tower with no doors, no stairs, and a single window at the very top. They would plan to have James come rescue me and somehow it would change my mind…

The stories kept getting wilder as time went on. I was pacing around the room, my fingers pulling through my hair, no longer caring about the curls. Nothing was helping at that point.

I noticed a small light on my cell phone indicating that I had a text message. There was no way that James would be contacting me already, so I decided that it couldn't hurt to look.

When I opened the message, I smiled to see a new message from Edward.

_Are you all right? You said you'd call… are you okay? –E_

I forgot that I said I'd call him. Paranoia tends to make a person forget about simple promises like that. I deleted the message and hit Edward's speed dial number before flopping onto the bed. He answered in the middle of the second ring.

"Bella? Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you?" he said hurriedly, sounding overly concerned. I had to laugh.

"I'm fine, Edward. I promise," I told him calmly. "Alice called in with a fake emergency and Jasper drove me back to their place. I'm going to just hang out here for a few days."

I could hear him take a deep breath, no doubt calming himself down. "Okay. As long as you're sure," he said. "Are you still going to make it on Saturday?"

My eyes widened and I groaned. "That's _this_ Saturday? Shit, Edward, I totally forgot. But yes, I will find a way there even if I have to hijack Jasper's car," I said with conviction.

"If we need to move that date, Bella, we can," he said. It was hard to miss the sadness tinting his voice.

"No," I countered. "We are not changing the date. I don't want to and there's no reason to. Stop freaking out, Edward."

"I know how you get after you go on one of these 'dates' with James. Sometimes you need a few days to recover," he said softly.

"And sometimes I just need to talk," I said. "Right now, talking to you is helping more than anything."

"I suppose bringing up the possibility of just leaving your family won't help the situation?"

"Not at all, so please don't try."

"So, what story did you use this time?" he asked, his voice taking on a lighter tone. "Robbery? Drunken neighbor? Family medical emergency?"

I chuckled. "No, I came up with a new one. Good friend's ex broke into her place and took everything so I'm staying with her for a few days to make sure that she's safe and has everything she needs."

"Wow…. That guy sounds like the biggest asshole in the world," Edward said with a laugh. "It's a good thing he doesn't exist."

"I'm sure you'd give him a piece of your mind if you ever met him," I said, smiling. "He'd be lucky if he left the room in one piece."

"And you know I'd do that to any guy who ever hurt you, right, Bella?" he asked. His tone was now serious. There was no getting out of answering his question.

It was conversations like this that I hoped to avoid after seeing James. All I wanted to do was run over to Edward's apartment, jump into his arms, and never leave his side. But I knew I couldn't leave.

"Of course I know, Edward," I managed. "And I appreciate that more than anything."

"It's no big deal," he continued. "It's just the Prince Charming complex in me. It makes me do all sorts of crazy things. Saving girls in dark alleyways, offering up my trusty steed, feeling compelled to keep some clumsy girl from breaking her neck."

I had to laugh at that. Edward was always trying to keep me from being depressed. "Yeah, well, keep it up," I joked. "Who knows when that complex will come in handy again?"

We talked for another ten minutes about random clients that Edward's had over the past week since we'd had enough time to talk for more than a few minutes. He mentioned an influx of Trekkies all wanting the same thing. Then there were the sorority girls all wanting the same tramp stamp in the same spot for each of them.

He was going on about a new sleeve that he started on one of the regulars when I came up with an idea.

"Hey Edward?" I asked, hesitantly interrupting him.

"And he suggested – oh, sorry, Bella. What did you want to say? Ugh, I've been rambling, haven't I?" he said.

"If I cared, I would've interrupted you like five minutes ago," I laughed. "No, this doesn't have anything to do with that. I was wondering if it was about time to introduce you to Alice and Jasper. Alice has been threatening to track you down and I want a more civilized meeting than that."

I could hear the smile in his voice when he replied. "You're worried about introductions? You of all people should be beyond that," he said.

"No, I'm just worried about you making it out alive," I said nonchalantly. "Alice has been known for giving suffocating bear hugs. You'd never make it if she snuck up on you."

"You make her sound like a bear."

"Spend five minutes with her mad at you. You'll think she's the most intimidating thing in the world," I said bluntly. There was no denying the ferocity of Alice. She was a fireball when she got pissed. "I would very much like to soften that introduction. Having Jazz and me there should help. Now can you please stop avoiding the question?"

He burst out laughing at my frustration. "I was wondering when this topic was going to come up," he said. "I've actually been toying with the idea of asking you about meeting Emmett and Rose. What do you say to that?"

"If you wanted me to meet them, why didn't you just ask?"

"Bella, for the last three years, you've been worried about what would happen if we were closer than good friends," Edward started. "By introducing you to the people closest to me, wouldn't that be moving past your comfort zone?"

"Well, yeah," I admitted.

"And you can't honestly tell me that you wouldn't have called me out on it," he said, obviously smirking. "But if you're at the point where you want me to meet Alice and Jasper, then maybe you've expanded your comfort zone. You probably finally told them about me."

I opened my mouth to answer before the last part of what he said sunk in. "Wait, how do you know I didn't tell them the second I met you?" I contested.

"Because whenever I brought that topic up, you found the first reason that you could think of to get out of talking about it," he said. "And they weren't always good reasons either."

I buried my face in my pillow and groaned, the phone falling in the middle of the bed. I thought I was doing so well at hiding those transitions. Apparently, I didn't do very well at all. Edward saw right through me.

His gentle laughter reached me and I quickly pulled the phone back to my ear.

"Edward, I'm-"

"If you say that you're sorry, I will hang up this phone right now," he said sternly. "It never upset me or offended me or anything like that, Bella. I knew what I was dealing with and I respected your boundaries. I am glad that you told them though."

I smiled again and rolled over to lie comfortably on the bed. "Yeah, so am I. I just hope I won't regret it."

"So, I take it our little group of two for Saturday has now tripled in size?" he chuckled.

I sighed. "Yes, I believe it has."

Edward and I wrapped up our phone conversation then since I mentioned that I needed to go tame the wild beast – Alice. He promised to call me with new details for our little "get together" later in the week.

After I hung up the phone, I took a few deep breaths before I ventured out into the living room. I literally peeked around the door to see if I could get an idea of what I was getting myself into. That turned out to be a bad idea.

"Isabella Marie Swan, you get your cute little ass out here right now or I will barge in there!" Alice threatened.

I grabbed a white shirt that was lying on the floor of the guest room and held it out the door in front of me in surrender. "I'm coming," I said. "And I have a deal in exchange for not being hurt or interrogated to the point of torture."

I slowly walked into the room to see Alice standing with her arms crossed and tapping her foot. Never a good sign, but at least I had her attention.

"Well," I started. "What would you say if I told you that I talked to Edward about him meeting you guys?"

She cocked an eyebrow at me. "I'd say you better not be fucking lying to me because I'll rip your head off." Her voice was completely level as she said it, but that was what scared me. If she wasn't bubbly and bouncy, there was reason to be afraid.

"Thankfully I can keep my head attached then," I said softly, rubbing my neck to make sure everything was still attached.

Alice's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Why would I lie when my head is in danger of being ripped off?"

The tiny thing in front of me emitted a high pitch squeal and launched herself at me for a bone-crushing bear hug. Jasper was leaning against the doorway to their bedroom shaking his head, a smile playing at his lips.

"She's yours for the night," he said. "Good luck. You'll need it."

I sighed internally. He was right; I'd need all the luck I could get dealing with Alice.

She unwrapped her arms from around my body and hauled me over to the couch before sitting near me. She used all her strength to turn my body to face her.

"So, first tell me exactly what the new escape story is," she said. Then her lips curled into a smirk. "After that, I would like to know exactly what you talked to Edward about for _an hour_ after pacing for the same amount of time when you couldn't just talk to me instead."

Aw, shit. What had I just gotten myself into?

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**AN: Hi, I'm still here. This is when I beg for reviews. I'll even make a deal with you. If I get more than ten people to review this chapter, there might be a little bit of action for our favorite couple during the Saturday get together. Come on, you all know you want Edward and Bella to make out. Don't deny it. So, please, please, please review!**

**Next time: The Saturday get together, Bella meets Emmett and Rose, Edward gets attacked by a pixie, and an E/B make out scene? It's up to you!**

**-Kaylee**

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	5. Light At the End of the Tunnel

**AN: I know, everyone's surprised that I update within a reasonable amount of time. I'm shocked too. It probably won't happen again for a while. But! There is good news! I did get 10 reviews for the last chapter, so I was able to avoid being hunted down for not writing the makeout scene. It's there, I promise. It'll make an appearance in the next chapter as well, but not in as much detail. Sorry.**

**Also, I wanted to say thank you to Orianna who previewed part of this chapter. It means a lot! Everyone should go read her stories. They are amazing! Now, on to the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. End of story. It should be obvious.**

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Chapter 4 – Light At the End of the Tunnel

EPOV

I concentrated on the picture that I was inking into skin at that moment. It was an elaborate sleeve that the client had drawn up, hoping to get it finished in one day. I assured him I would try my best, but I knew it was impossible. This was the fourth hour I'd been working on it and I was still nowhere near done.

The fact that he came in at four in the afternoon didn't help either.

"Man, this thing looks awesome so far," he said, admiring the work-in-progress.

"You came up with it, you should know," I said.

I had to keep my answers short. I needed to concentrate. But he didn't seem to get that.

"No, seriously," he continued, "I thought it looked pretty good before, but now? It's fucking art."

No shit, Sherlock.

"I'm glad you think so. Now, if you don't stop moving, talking, or doing anything else that will distract me, it's going to look like shit," I told him. Blunt, but true. "So I would appreciate silence."

He grumbled, but kept quiet after that.

Once I was able to focus my attention on the tattoo, I lost myself in the art. I'd taken a few liberties in making the stencil, but they were only things that I would notice. It was something I did with all pieces that I didn't create myself. Like a trademark so I would always be able to distinguish my own work.

It also made doing the work so much more enjoyable.

There was something so freeing about giving someone a tattoo. It was always the clients' choice, so I could never be accountable for any regrets. But it wasn't about the regrets.

It was about the story. There was a story behind every tattoo. Sometimes it was obvious, but sometimes you had to dig deep.

The sleeve that I was working on, for instance. At first it seemed like a mess of tribal symbols, no rhyme or reason to the details. Then I noticed the pictures within the symbols. It was in the style of ancient Chinese art. It was a beautiful concept. It only took me two hours to figure out that the guy's girlfriend was Chinese and obsessed with that type of art.

Some back stories took more time to figure out. Some were impossible. But the challenge of discovering the story behind the art drew me in like nothing else.

It made me forget all the other shit in my life for a few hours.

I was about a third of the way done with the sleeve when I happened to glance at the clock. Ten past ten. Six hours on one tattoo. He had to be stiff from sitting still for so long.

"Hey, didn't you say you needed to be somewhere tonight?" I asked him, stopping my work.

He looked confused for a minute before checking the time. "Aw, shit. My mom's gonna kill me!" he said. "Well, I guess this'll have to do for today, man. Thanks. I'll come by again next week."

I nodded and started cleaning up the workspace. "Sure, no problem." He had already given me an initial payment that would cover that day's work and he knew how to take care of it, so I was fine with just letting him leave.

It didn't take me long to have everything cleared out from my area. It was late enough that I knew there wouldn't be other clients. We didn't get more than one project on a Thursday night. Everyone was too busy partying.

I grabbed my tools that needed to be sterilized out to the front desk. One of the interns was practically falling asleep by the cash register. I chuckled and laid a hand on his back.

"Pete?" I said. He jerked up when he heard my voice. "Go home. I told you that you didn't need to be here past ten."

"Rosalie said I needed to man my post until that guy left," he explained through a yawn. "She was too busy with paperwork and there would be no one out here."

"Well, thank you then. I can take it from here," I said.

Pete yawned his acknowledgment before he scampered out of the deserted store. He'd worked too long that day. I decided I'd give him a break for the next few shifts he had to work.

"You know, you don't want the interns to work so hard, but you work yourself to death half the time," I heard behind me. "Tell me how that makes sense."

I sighed and turned around to see Rose standing in the office doorway. Her hair was swept into a loose ponytail, revealing the multiple piercings she had encasing the outside of each of her ears. She'd gone easy on her appearance that day since she knew there was a lot of paperwork to be done. For once she chose comfort.

"Rose, I can't expect them to do everything when they aren't used to it," I said.

"Well, you're going to have to get them used to it," she said. "You're due for a ton of time off."

"We're closing the shop on Saturday. Or did you not remember that?" I countered.

A smile formed on her face. "How _could_ I forget, Edward?" she asked, happily. "You're finally letting me meet your mystery girl!" She ran over and hugged me.

I chuckled and put one around her in a half hug. "Well, at least I know you're excited about this," I said as we let go.

"You think _I'm_ excited about this? Have you talked to Emmett since you told me?" she questioned. I shook my head, confused. "He's got all these tests prepped for her to make sure she's worthy of you. He was looking through old photo albums Esme had given him so that he could have stories to tell about you from when you were younger. He's acting like this is your fucking engagement party!" She looked amused at her boyfriend's antics.

"Too bad she's already engaged," I muttered, turning back to my tools.

"And you need to stop moping about it," Rose said firmly. She grabbed my chin and made me look at her. "If you want her so badly, go fight for her."

"I've tried, Rose," I groaned. "It hasn't worked."

She rolled her eyes and slapped me across the face.

"Ow! Damn, Rose, what the hell was that for?"

"You obviously haven't been trying hard enough," she scolded. "She hates her life; it shouldn't be too hard to convince her."

I sighed and pulled my fingers through my hair. "You don't get it, Rose," I said. "She feels that she can't be with me because of the rules of her society. She knows that I love her and she still won't leave her retarded asshole of a fiancé."

Rosalie looked thoughtful for a minute before nodding. "Okay, it's all good," she said.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah? How so?"

"Simple," she said as if I was an imbecile. "Emmett and I will knock some sense into her." I groaned and buried my face in my hands. "Aw, don't worry, Edward. We'll be gentle."

"Maybe this was a bad idea," I mused aloud. "I should call Bella and let her know it's o-"

"If you even consider going back on your agreement, you won't be in any condition to see your girl for a few _months_. And _I _will track her down and meet her myself," she growled.

"Whoa, Ed, what the hell did you do to get my Rosie all riled up?" I heard Emmett say from the front of the shop. I hadn't even noticed when he came in. "Don't get me wrong, it's freakin' hot, but it means you did something wrong."

"I didn't actually _do_ anything," I said, backing slowly away from Rosalie.

"Oh yeah?" Rose contested. "And threatening to not let me meet Bella on Saturday is _nothing_?"

"Ed! We don't get to meet Bella?" Emmett looked heartbroken. Like a kid who's been told he isn't getting a single Christmas present.

"Emmett, I never said that," I groaned. "Rose was just being… well, Rose and I happened to be caught thinking out loud."

My gentle giant of a cousin still had a pout on his face as he went to stand near his girlfriend. Rosalie smiled up at him and put her hand on his cheek.

"Don't worry, babe," she said. "Even if he does cancel on us, we'll still meet her." I buried my face in my arms and tried to ignore the two people in the corner plotting my demise.

Two hours and quite a bit of convincing later, I was safely at home. Rose and Emmett finally believed me that I wasn't going to cancel. I was still scared shitless that they were going to hunt Bella down to meet her ahead of time. I decided that I needed to call her. It took a few rings to hear her voice.

"Hello?" she sounded a little groggy, like I'd woken her up. She obviously hadn't looked at her caller ID either.

"Bella, I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"Edward!" she exclaimed. She sounded a lot less tired now. "No, you didn't wake me up. My mother had another soiree today. I, of course, was forced to attend. Alice graciously offered up her husband's foot massage abilities which I accepted immediately. No way will I ever deny I good foot massage."

I chuckled. "Well, I'll have to remember that as a form of bribery."

"Well, we'll see about that," she laughed. "So, what's up? I'm assuming you're calling about something in particular."

"Oh, so now I need a motive to want to talk to you?"

"Not necessarily, but I know you, Masen. You're not one to call out of the blue."

"You got me," I said with a small laugh. "I decided I needed to warn you about something. Emmett and Rose are getting a tad bit excited about Saturday. They're going to try to be as intimidating as they can. I thought you needed to know." There was silence on the line for a minute. "Bella? Are you okay?"

"Are we talking full scale assault and every cliché thing in the book intimidating? Or is it something a little more low key?" she asked.

"They're pulling out all the stops," I said cautiously. "Emmett's got all sort of tests prepared… not sure what that means, but Rose made it sound important."

Bella laughed for a minute before sighing. "Well, I've got another day to prepare for it," she said. "I might as well start now."

"Bella, don't worry about trying to pass the tests," I said firmly. "Just be yourself and they will love you. How could they not?"

"I'm not even sure how to be myself anymore," she muttered. Then more clearly, "I'll try, Edward. But I'm not sure any of us will be able to get a word in edgewise with Alice there. I have a feeling she'll be chasing you around in your nightmares for weeks to come."

I smiled at the thought. As long as Bella was in the picture as well, I wouldn't mind at all. "I'll be sure to brace myself," I chuckled. "But I've got you and Jasper as buffers, right?"

"Of course, Edward," she said. I could hear the smile in her voice. "Always."

We stayed on the line for another few minutes discussing the logistics for Saturday. I figured it would be better to meet at the restaurant.

In an effort to keep Bella comfortable, I decided we should meet at a neutral location. There was a small, family owned restaurant a few blocks away from the shop that Emmett had taken Rosalie to on one of their first dates. The Jasmine Dragon was well known in the area, but it never seemed to have a big crowd. It wasn't likely that anyone Bella knew would be there.

Friday went by uneventfully. It was a surprisingly quiet day at the shop. We sent most of the interns home after lunch and Rose shoved me out when she realized that there wasn't going to be much traffic for the night.

"You'll be more of a hindrance than anything else," she said as she pushed me out the door. "You'll be thinking about Bella instead of what you're doing."

Rosalie was right, of course, but I didn't want to admit it.

I decided to watch a baseball game on TV to kill time when I got back to the apartment. It worked for a little while until I remembered one of Emmett's first ever sex talks with me. I was fifteen and going through puberty when he acknowledged the fact that I could hang with the big boys.

"_Okay, Edward. Everything you need to know can be explained with baseball," he explained. "First base is the first kiss, second is when you finally grow enough balls to cop a feel, third is the gateway to heaven, and running home is going all the way. It's the best code in the world and girls will never understand a word of it."_

He was wrong about how stupid girls were – Rose always saw through all his codes – but the code stuck. It made sense to everyone.

It took me a few years to figure out that he wasn't the one who came up with that analogy.

I sighed, shutting off the game and fisting my hands in my hair. That gathering was going to be the death of me.

That night I managed to get just enough sleep to not have circles under my eyes. By seven in the morning, I gave up on getting anymore sleep. Bella and I had agreed to meet at the restaurant at noon, so I had five hours to kill.

I made myself a full pot of coffee. There was a feeling in the back of my mind that either Rosalie or Emmett would show up in an effort to keep my mind off of everything.

I pulled out some paperwork that needed to get filled out for the shop to pass the time. It was inane enough to keep my mind off anything else for a while.

Three cups of coffee and two hours later, the paperwork was done and I was still three hours away from seeing Bella. I noticed my phone blinking on the counter. No one usually texted me at this time of the morning. I flipped it open and smiled to see a short message from Bella.

_Apparently I need primping for today. See you at noon. No time for talking before then. –B_

"Poor Bella," I said with a chuckle. Alice was probably trying to force her into something completely inappropriate for a lunch with friends. From what Bella said, she tended to go a bit over the top.

My head whipped around as I heard a banging on the door of my apartment.

"Edward! Open up!" Emmett shouted through the wood. "Come on! We've only got three hours to be prepped on everything!"

I sighed and opened the door. Emmett stood there with a manila folder, flipping through papers. Rose stood next to him, shaking her head and smiling at me.

"He's been like this all morning," she explained. "I tried to get him to calm down, but nothing's worked. He demanded that we come over here."

"We're already behind, Rosie!" Emmett whined. "We should have been here an hour ago."

I rolled my eyes and let the two of them in the living room. Emmett practically ran in and spread all the papers over the coffee table. Rose stood with me a few feet away to watch him.

"What is all this stuff?" I questioned.

"This is Em's master plan," she said with a chuckle.

"Don't mock it, babe," he said, standing up. "Edward needs to memorize all of it."

I groaned internally. I didn't want to upset him, but I had a feeling that the plans weren't what I wanted Bella to go through. "Emmett, I don't think this is such a good idea," I said cautiously.

"But Edward, we need to prove that she's good enough for you," he said bluntly.

"I don't think this is the best way to go about it," I said. "Bella's the type of girl that freaks out when she's the center of attention."

"Are you kidding? Every girl loves attention!" Rose countered.

"Not Bella," I said. "She can't even stand the conversation being about her for more than a couple minutes. She'll change the subject if she's been talking too long in her opinion…."

Emmett pouted, but sat back on the couch. "Fine, but this means I'll have to go undercover or something. Rose will have to work overtime and-"

"Emmett, please don't," I begged. "I want to make sure that she's not overwhelmed today. Please don't make this worse."

Rosalie sat next to Emmett and put her hand on his shoulder. "Babe, this means a lot to him," she said quietly. "_She_ means a lot to him. Maybe we should let up a bit on the plan."

He smiled softly over at his girlfriend and kissed her on the cheek. "You're probably right, Rosie," he said. His expression brightened considerably. "I mean, we only need to be good for the first impression, right?"

Emmett went to hide his plans somewhere in my apartment. It was always a pain to figure out his hiding spots; I'd given up after a while.

Rose turned to look at me after my cousin left. "He means well, you know," she said.

"Yeah, I know," I sighed. "I just hope that when he meets Bella his tests won't matter anymore."

"I'm sure we'll love her," Rose assured me. "Maybe not as much as you, but that's to be expected." She laughed and I just had to smile back. "Now, come on. We need to get you ready for your big date."

"It's not a-"

She held up her hands in surrender. "I know, I know. But this could just be the day that the tide starts to work in your favor." She smiled brightly before dragging me into my room to find something decent to wear.

Rosalie tore through my entire closet to find the perfect outfit for today. I had just been planning on wearing jeans and a T-shirt, but that wasn't good enough for Rose. She had me try on every single pair of jeans, every single shirt… basically everything she could find.

Ten minutes before we were supposed to leave, she finally handed me a pair of decently tight fitting jeans and a vintage band tee. Before she left the room to let me change, she turned to me with a smirk and said, "By the way, I picked that out over an hour ago."

I started to follow her to tell her off when I realized what she was doing. She had purposefully distracted me to take my mind off Bella.

"She's good," I muttered. "She's really good…"

We were ready to go a few minutes early, but I figured that we could go early and wait for the others at the restaurant. The Jasmine Dragon barely had any customers at noon on a Saturday, so it was easy to get a good table. We got there ten minutes before our reservation, so we went to wait at the bar.

"I've got to hand it to you, Emmett, this is a pretty nice place," I said while he ordered himself a beer. "You do know your restaurants."

"Yes, he does," Rose said happily. "And if he doesn't get me the fried Oreo sundae like he promised, I will cheerfully beat his ass into a pulp."

I laughed as Emmett nervously reinforced his promise to get her the precious sundae. He was honestly scared for himself. I'd seen what Rose could do to a guy when she was mad. It wasn't pretty. Especially when she had stilettos on – which she did – Rose was a terror. I was so glad I'd managed to stay on her good side. And I planned to keep it that way.

"Edward!" a beautiful voice called. I turned to see Bella standing near the other end of the bar with a brilliant smile on her face.

I hadn't seen her in a while, but I could already spot the difference. She looked happy, genuinely happy. The few days away from her family had been good for her. Bella had a healthy glow about her that had been missing for a long time.

I took a moment to look at her while she walked over in response to my smile, two people following close behind her. Bella had a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and a form fitting, brightly colored graphic tee. Her hair was pulled into a messy side ponytail and her makeup was light, but a little darker than usual. Somehow she managed to win the battle for footwear with a pair of Converse high tops. She was beautiful.

"Bella," I said happily as she got closer. I stood and opened my arms to her before she ran up and hugged me. I smiled into her hair and held her tightly for as long as she would let me. "You made it."

Bella smacked my arm lightly. "Of course I made it, you big oaf," she laughed. "Why would I miss this? Besides, Alice wouldn't have let me skip out." She tilted her head back a little, indicating the two people behind her.

The tiny, delicate doll of a girl bounded forward first and wrapped her arms tightly around my midsection. "Hi Edward! It's great to meet you! Finally… I'm Alice, by the way. Bella's told me so much about you," she said when she let me go. It was like she didn't stop to breathe. Ever. "I feel like I already know you. Of course, Bella wouldn't let that happen before now since-"

The man that came with them put a gentle hand on Alice's shoulder and she immediately stopped talking, choosing instead to smile up at the blond man. He was over a foot taller than her, but somehow they fit together.

"Settle down, darlin'," he chuckled. Then he smiled over at me and extended his hand. "Jasper Whitlock. I must apologize on behalf of my wife. She's just very excited to meet such an esteemed friend of Bella's."

"Edward Masen," I said, shaking the man's hand. "And now I've got even more to live up to if I'm considered an esteemed friend."

"Edward? Esteemed? Jeez, apparently no one knows him well," Emmett laughed from behind me.

I sighed and smiled weakly. "And that would be my cousin Emmett Cullen," I said. "Sometimes I think he prides himself on the fact that there is no filter between his brain and his mouth." I heard Emmett start to protest, but I continued. "And this," I said, gesturing to Rose, "is Emmett's girlfriend, Rosalie Hale."

Bella smiled hesitantly at Rose while Emmett wasted no time introducing himself to Jasper and Alice.

"Well, you're not half dolphin," Rose said.

"Rose!" I hissed.

"What? I meant it as a compliment," she said, confused.

I turned to apologize to Bella only to find her smiling softly at Rose. Going against my instincts, I chose to see how this would play out.

"I'm not quite sure what that means exactly, but I guess I should take every compliment I can get," Bella said with a small chuckle. She extended her hand. "I'm Bella, if you haven't guessed. Technically, it's Isabella Swan, but I prefer Bella."

Rose ignored Bella's extended hand and went in for a gentle hug, whispering something in her ear. I was pleasantly surprised by this; when I met Rose at Twilight, she simply looked me up and down before telling me I was too skinny and depressing and that I needed to eat more. She was blunt, but honest.

Rose then left Bella alone and went to go introduce herself to Alice and Jasper. Emmett came to stand with me and Bella. He tilted his head as he looked at her, trying to figure something out.

"You're shorter than I pictured," he said. Then he laughed and engulfed her in a bear hug. "Nice to meet ya, Baby Bell!" She looked at me and cocked an eyebrow when he set her down. He was still laughing at his own joke.

"He has a habit of making up annoying nicknames," I explained.

Bella looked up at his self-satisfied smile. "Why did you nickname me after a type of cheese? You couldn't have been even a little more creative?" She stared at him as if she expected an actual answer, but I could see her lips twitching as she resisted the urge to laugh.

Emmett's jaw dropped as he stuttered, trying to find an answer. She lost it and fell into me when her laughter took over. I wrapped my arms around her to keep her upright.

"Totally worth it," she gasped through her laughter.

I noticed that Rose, Alice, and Jasper were all laughing as well. Emmett's expression has transformed into something between shocked and pissed. He finally settled on amusement when he regained his composure.

The hostess announced that we could now be seated. There were only a few other guests there, but it was policy to wait until the reservation time. As we followed her to our table, Emmett whispered to me, "I like her, man. I think she's a keeper."

"Thanks, Em," I replied. Hopefully that meant there would be no tests in the foreseeable future.

In front of us, I saw Bella stiffen and stop walking. She quickly turned around and walked straight to me. Her eyes were wide and frightened. I cupped my hand around her face.

"Bella, what's wrong?" I said, checking to see if she had hurt herself.

"Kiss me," she said quietly.

"What?" I asked, startled.

"I need you to kiss me," she continued. "James is over there with some… I don't even know, but she's busty and she's pretty and his hands are all over her. He _can't_ see me here, Edward." She looked back over her shoulder. "Shit, they're getting up." She looked back at me, panicked. "Please, Edward. I need you to do this for me."

"Anything for you, Bella," I whispered before lowering my face to hers.

At first, I gently touched my lips to hers, caressing her cheek with my thumb. But the feeling of her lips on mine was too much.

I needed more.

I hesitantly traced her bottom lip with my tongue, asking for her permission but always giving her an out. She sighed happily and opened her mouth to mine. My hand moved to the back of her head, my other arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer. I was sure she could feel exactly how much this kiss was affecting me, but I couldn't worry about that.

She asked me to kiss her.

_She_ asked _me._

I needed to use this to my advantage. I had no idea if I was going to get another shot.

Everything else was lost to me. The room, the fact that people were probably staring at us, the fact that we were blocking traffic… everything. There was only Bella and me.

And Bella's remarkable mouth.

I gently touched her tongue with mine and was granted a wonderful moan. Her arms came up to wrap around my neck, her fingers knotting in my hair. Her tongue stroked mine eagerly and I knew that I would do everything in my power to have this experience again.

And more if she would let me.

Someone cleared their throat and Bella jumped against my embrace. My arms held her in place, though. We both looked over to see everyone with knowing smiles. Alice had her arms crossed and her toe was tapping.

Bella groaned and buried her face in my chest. "Shit," she muttered. "I forgot about how they'd react."

I chuckled and nudged her so she would look up at me. "Just explain it. They'll understand," I said. "Now come on." I let my arms drop from her sides but I kept one hand on the small of her back as I led her to the table.

"Baby Bell's got some 'splainin' to do," Emmett said. His Ricky Ricardo imitation was horrendous. Thankfully, Rose recognized that and smacked him offside the head for it. "Ow! Rosie!"

"Well, James is gone," Jasper said with a chuckled.

"He's been gone for four minutes now," Alice said accusingly. "And I swear I heard him mutter 'Get a room," which is completely hypocritical considering what he was doing with that girl. I mean, who knows what they were doing under that table. It's disgusting to even think about."

Bella groaned and sat on one of the booth benches, sliding over to the window. I sat across from her in an attempt to make her feel more comfortable.

"It's okay, Bella," Jasper said as they all sat down. "It's better that he doesn't see you here. We get that."

"Okay, little help here," Rose said. "I, for one, have no idea who that hell that bastard was and why the hell I need to hate him so much."

"That bastard is my fiancé," Bella said miserably. She held up her left hand to show something to Rosalie, but kept her head buried in her other arm.

"Wow… that's one hell of a rock," Emmett said as Rose whistled her approval.

"Wait," I said, leaning over to see Bella's hand. "When did he get you a ring?"

Bella sat up and pulled her hand back, hiding the infernal thing. "Last week," she answered. "Mother was bugging him about it. She said that none of her friends would believe her that I was engaged unless I had a ring. So she dragged him out and said 'Pick out the biggest one you can afford.'"

"You rich people sure do like to spend your money," Rose commented with a chuckle.

"Not all of us are like that," Jasper said defensively before Alice put a hand on his arm to calm him down.

"Sorry," Rose said, seeing his expression. "You just get used to being looked down on by spoiled, rich pricks all the time." She ducked her head, tracing some of the false wood grains on the table.

Jasper nodded stiffly toward Emmett since Rosalie wasn't looking. It was easy to see that he wasn't fully satisfied, but he was willing to overlook it. Emmett nodded in return, acknowledging that.

"I'm sorry, Jasper," I said, feeling the need to explain a little more than Rose did. "She had a… bad experience with a couple of rich guys and the feeling just stuck."

Her head whipped over to me. "Bad experience? _Bad experience_? You know it pisses me off when you say that, Edward," she growled. "It was the worst fucking night of my life." Tears streamed down her face. "You have no idea what it was like." Her eyes were pleading with me to understand.

I'd dealt with this a few times before, so I knew how to handle it. Alice and Bella looked worried and reached out to help but I shook my head. Even Emmett backed down.

I brought my hand up to her face slowly and gently rested it on her cheek. "Hey," I whispered. "You're safe here." She was still breathing heavily and sobbing, but she didn't fight me off. "We're not going to hurt you. It's over, Rose. No one will ever hurt you like that again, okay?" She nodded weakly and tried to smile through the tears. "Okay. Now, how about you go freshen up a little so you don't end up with your food tasting a little _too_ salty?"

Rosalie laughed weakly and nodded. She kissed Emmett on the cheek as she scooted past him to let him know that she was okay.

"Rosalie?" Bella said as Rose was standing up. The blonde turned and looked at Bella. "Do you want Alice and me to come with you? In case you need something you don't have…"

She was biting her lip, waiting for an answer. Bella honestly wanted Rose to like her and she didn't want to blow this shot.

Rosalie nodded with a small smile at Bella's request. The three girls walked toward the restrooms together, but it didn't look like any of them said anything.

"I am really sorry," Jasper said when they were out of earshot. "I didn't mean to start anything that would bring up bad memories."

"It's not your fault," Emmett said. "She's an emotional person. Sometimes it just shows more."

"Still, it was wrong of me to do," Jasper insisted. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Well, the easiest thing would be to not mention it again," I said, stating the obvious. They both chuckled. "But, honestly? I have a feeling that Bella and Alice are doing more for her right now than any of us could."

"But you were able to calm her down instantly," the blond man protested.

"Only from previous experience," I grimaced. "I've been working with her long enough to know how to handle her in which moods. When she starts freaking out about that night, it's all about being slow, gentle, and soothing. No sudden movements, no harsh tones, and reminding her that she's safe."

"What actually happened?" Jasper asked quietly.

I looked to Emmett who shook his head. He was in no condition to tell the story. Not until he knew Rose was okay. I sighed and launched into the story of that night and how if affected her. It was something that would haunt her forever.

"No one should have to go through that," Jasper said angrily. "Those men deserve more than they got."

"We all agree, but it's done," I said. "So now we avoid anything that will trigger that spot in her mind. Joking around definitely helps that."

"Good to know," Jasper said. I sensed a change in Jasper's mood, then. He grinned at me. "So, is there anything that I should know about with you and Bella? That kiss seemed like a little more than she intended."

"Yeah, Ed, I'd like an answer that that one as well," Emmett said, turning his full attention on me.

I sighed. "As much as I would love to tell you that we were secretly having a relationship under _everyone's_ noses, no. There is nothing going on between us. Beyond that kiss."

"Right, like I'm going to believe that," Jasper said.

"I know you may not trust me on that, but I'm not lying. As much as I've tried to get her to punch that fucker James in the face and come running to me, it just won't happen," I said glumly.

"Question!" Emmett said.

"What, Emmett? You're not in third grade. You don't need to do that to ask a question," I grumbled.

"Right, anyway, what was that sleazebag doing here with that… chick if he's marrying Bella?" my cousin asked.

Jasper nodded. "That right there is the big question," he said. "James was always an ass, but I never suspected that he would actually stoop to that level. We were all convinced that he really did love Bella. I guess there's still a reason to hate him."

"Hey, wouldn't it be funny if you just, like, told her entire family about it and they broke off the engagement?" Emmett joked as he took a sip of his beer.

Jasper and I looked at each other, stunned. Beyond the fact that Emmett had a good idea, the idea actually sounded like it would work.

"We'd need evidence, of course," Jasper said quietly.

"Well, yeah, but we can just follow him or something," I said.

"He is fond of this one club not too far from here," Jasper supplied.

"That's good. We can start there. Then-"

"I totally missed something, didn't I?" Emmett said.

I laughed. "Emmett, your joke of an idea could actually work."

"Really?"

"Really," I answered with a smile. "From everything Bella's said, her mother wants nothing more for her than the perfect husband who can provide for her and have a stable life. If we catch James cheating on Bella, they'll have to call it off."

"And then Edward can swoop in and steal our precious Bella away from her evil parents," Jasper added with a smile.

"Wait, what?" I said, looking at Bella's best friend.

"If James is gone, there should be nothing stopping you from being with Bella," he said. "She loves you, you obviously treat her better than my shithead of a brother, and you love her too. Is there anything keeping you back that I should know about?"

I shook my head, shocked. I couldn't come up with anything to say.

"Wow… You're actually giving your approval? You're a braver man than me," Emmett chuckled.

Jasper told my cousin about the fact that even though Bella was like a sister to him he had to treat her like an equal. She couldn't stand his brotherly tendencies to get overly protective.

While my cousin listened to Jasper's tales of old Bella stories, my mind drifted to Bella. How she could be mine if this plan worked. How she would never be miserable again if I could help it.

Images popped into my head involuntarily. Me down on one knee in front of her. Bella in a simple white dress at the end of the aisle. Bella holding a tiny bundle of a baby in her arms, glowing. Bella and I growing old together.

But there was still one thing in the way of that happily ever after.

"What if she fights it?" I muttered.

Jasper turned to me, confused. "Who? Bella? Why would she do that if she loves you?"

"She is so scared about her parents accepting her engagement…. She always tells me that the only reason she accepted James' proposal was because she knew her parents would approve," I explained. "I don't have a ton of money. I don't have a big fancy penthouse. I can't guarantee that we'll always have money. I run a tattoo shop; it's not a very lucrative business."

"Who cares about the money?" Emmett said.

"Her parents! And therefore, Bella. It doesn't matter how much she doesn't like them," I said. "She obviously still wants to make them proud. Even if it means sacrificing her own happiness."

"That does sound like Bella," Jasper said sadly. He sighed and focused on the table for a minute. He finally looked up at me with a determined expression on his face. "Listen, I'll try to help you out. I'll get everything I can on James. I'll try to convince Bella that you're the better option. But you can't give up." He pointed a single finger at me. "You need to do more of what you did earlier. Enforce the fact that James is cheating. Plant the idea of ending the betrothal. But _don't _give up if she still says no. Keep working at it until we have sufficient evidence."

"Right, keep telling the stubborn rich girl that she should marry me," I said bitterly. "That'll work."

" Just be yourself, man," Emmett said. "It's worked so far. I mean, she loves you, right?"

"Yeah, she just won't admit it," I sighed.

"She will," Jasper promised. "Give her time and she will."

I nodded. I'd already decided that I needed to try. The first step was to get rid of James.

"So, what'd we miss?" Bella said as she and the girls came back.

I smiled over at her and she smiled back before talking to everyone else again.

_Totally worth it_, I thought.

I had to do this. She deserved better than James. I needed to get that opportunity for her.

I needed to prove that love was better than money.

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**AN: There you have it folks! See? I told you there was a way for them to get together. Now we just have to be patient... and stalk James. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you have any questions, comments, advice, concerns, cookies, or anything else for me, please leave a review! Seriously, they make everything better. They are better than duct tape.**

**Next chapter: More of the Saturday lunch! What Bella, Rose, and Alice talked about in the bathroom, how the rest of the event goes, and Edward trying to prove that he is better than James. (Leave those ideas in your reviews!!)**

**I don't know when I'll be able to update again, but I will try to make it soon. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!**

**-Kaylee**

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	6. Turning Point

**AN: I'm back! And still in the same month. I'm getting better, right? I want to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, and put this story on alert. You guys are great. The fact that I know people like it keeps me writing. Even if it does take a few weeks for each update...**

**Also! I have an annoucement. I now have a beta for this story. SwallowedxInxThexSea, author of Under Wraps (good story, go read it... after you read this chapter, of course), has agreed to help me out with this story and prevent my habit for repeating words too often. I know I do it, I just can seem to fix it... Anyway, this is the first chapter that she's helped with, so maybe it will be better than the others. :) She is also helping me think of a new, better title for this story. I will keep you all posted on that development.**

**Disclaimer: Let's see... I own a new laptop for college, a few unfinished original stories, a three year old cell phone that's on its last leg.... Nope. It seems I don't own Twilight. Damn...**

**Warning: This chapter does have implications of rape and minor angst. Figured I'd warn you.**

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**Chapter 5 – Turning Point**

BPOV

I pulled Alice off the restaurant bench and walked next to Rose on the way to the bathroom. None of us said anything, waiting for the sanctuary of the little girl's room.

Rose headed straight for the changing table in the alcove and hoisted herself up there. I stood awkwardly against the wall a few feet away. Alice stood next to me, wringing her hands together, unsure of what to do.

"You guys didn't have to come in here with me, you know," Rosalie said, her voice still hoarse.

"We wanted to make sure you were okay," I replied. "Sometimes you just need girl time to fix something."

"You barely know me," the blonde whispered.

"You're an important part of Edward's life, so that means you're important to Bella," Alice said. "And anyone who's important to Bella is important to me."

Rose smiled sadly at us. "Thanks. That means a lot."

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" I asked cautiously. "I know it's not really my place to ask, but it does help most of the time."

"It might, I don't know," she said slowly. "I haven't really tried to talk about it…. It's hard."

"I know, Rosalie," I said. "I don't know if Edward told you how we met, but it was after he saved me from… this guy who tried to take me…." The memory washed over me and I started shaking. "In a fucking alleyway at night… I knew that dress was going to get me in trouble, too. I tried to fight him off, but he was stronger. I couldn't get away…. But suddenly, he wasn't there. He wasn't hitting me anymore. I couldn't see Edward until he crouched down to see if I was okay, but it didn't matter. He saved me." I smiled as I remembered Edward's concern.

I looked back up at Rosalie who also had a small smile on her face as well. "From what he says, he had a hard time not ripping that guy's dick off right then and there," she chuckled.

"I wouldn't be surprised," I muttered.

Rosalie sighed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Well, where you had Edward, I had no one," she said, starting her own story. Her voice was almost empty as she spoke. I could tell she was trying to stay objective, to just get through it without breaking down.

"My parents didn't have a lot of money to send me to college, so I had to earn everything. I got a job at a sports bar downtown. One of those sleazy joints that make you wear the booty shorts and a belly shirt as a uniform. I couldn't complain since I made a fortune in tips…."

Her fingers twitched nervously as she continued, betraying her calm appearance. "There was one group of men that came in at the same time every week and requested me as their server. I knew they were used to getting everything they wanted. They bribed the owner for the best table and to always have me as their waitress even though I preferred bartending. They made me work for my tips. I was always running back and forth getting them drinks – always beer – or more food, or even for no reason. Sometimes they liked to just call me over and make rude comments."

"I hate guys like that," I said.

Rosalie looked at me and I saw a completely different person than the Rose I had met not even twenty minutes earlier. Her arms wrapped around herself as if she was trying to keep herself together. The eyes that seemed so bright and happy earlier now looked haunted, almost scared. "It was early June when they stayed late. My car had broken down that morning and I didn't have time to fix it. I had to walk six blocks back to my shitty apartment." Her gaze fell to her legs, looking away from me. I knew the worst of it was coming. "They followed me when my shift ended. I didn't notice them until there was no one else on the road.

"There were five of them. They were all dressed to the nines, but their ties were loosened or removed in their drunken stupor." She paused and took a few deep breaths. I could see a few tears fall from her face. "They backed me into a corner. Even shitfaced they were still stronger than me. Two of them held me down at a time as each one took his fill. Three blows whenever I fought them. One whenever I didn't respond. A few random kicks and punches when the idle ones got bored.

"I was lying in the corner for an hour after they left me to die before I could move. The street was deserted, but I knew where I was. The police station was close enough that I dragged myself there, fighting to forget about an almost unusable leg and a ton of other injuries." She was able to smile softly then. "The secretary at the police station freaked out when she saw me walk in. She helped me onto a small cot, all the while yelling for one of the 'lazy ass boys' to come 'help this poor girl.' They came quickly in response to her tone of voice and reacted instantly to my condition. I was in a hospital bed within a half hour, in stable condition in two. It was around four in the morning and I was alone in a hospital bed, my parents miles away and no one to call. I had no one."

Alice and I stood there, stunned for a moment. My best friend rushed over and wrapped her arms tightly around Rosalie's waist. I sat next to the blonde and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. She turned her head and sobbed into my shoulder. I stroked her hair in an effort to help calm her down, but I knew she needed to let it out. I had a feeling she spent too much time holding in her emotions.

I couldn't help but think about my own experience. If Edward hadn't been there, would I have ended up in a situation like Rose? Would more guys have joined in? I thanked every single deity I could think of that Edward had been there and I vowed that I would make it up to Rose. I would help her rid herself of those demons. No one deserved that.

After a while, Rose finally took a deep, calming breath. "Okay, I think I'm good," she said quietly. She looked up at me and I could see the change in her eyes.

The scared, haunted look was gone, replaced by something akin to happiness. Something she probably hadn't truly felt in a long time. An enormous weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Rosalie didn't have to worry about how Alice and I would react. We supported her and that put her closer to healing. There would still be a scar, but it wouldn't be as noticeable. She wouldn't have to hide anymore.

Alice and I backed off a little, but stayed close enough to still be a comforting presence.

"You know, that really did help," Rose said with a small laugh. "I never wanted to tell anyone so that I could avoid the pity, but I knew you guys wouldn't be like that. I could just tell somehow."

"Well, we are rather good at listening to tough stories," Alice said mirroring Rose's laugh.

"Besides, there are just some things that boys can't help with," I added.

Rose smiled over at me. "There's only so many times Emmett can deal with that story," she said. "He's been over that limit for a while."

"I don't blame him," I said.

"I know a story he won't get over for a long time," Alice said, giggling.

I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah? And you've known him for all of ten minutes?" I replied.

Rose looked at Alice, who was still smirking, and caught on. "Oh, I'm sure this is one story that all of us wouldn't mind hearing about for a while," she said with a smile. "But I have a feeling Edward will have the most… physical reaction."

My mind instantly retreated to the kiss Edward and I had shared, his reaction hitting me particularly hard. It was hard to miss, resting against my stomach, twitching in response to my ministrations….

A blush flooded my cheeks and I groaned. "Now I know what you're talking about," I mumbled, ducking my head.

"Oh, come on, Bella," Rose said. "That was hot and you know it. And, if I remember correctly, there was definitely some tongue action."

"Bella, you know I'm not going to let this go," Alice said in her lilting, singsong voice. "You may as well just give us the details now before we pry them out of you."

I sighed and lay my head against the wall behind me. Alice would never let up. If I somehow managed to make it out of the bathroom without submitting, she would just drag Edward into the interrogation and make it that much worse. And Rose… she seemed like she was missing girl time in her life. She was probably dying for something like this to talk about.

If you promise not to say anything about it to Edward," I conceded.

Alice squealed and bounced steadily in place. Rose smiled at me encouragingly.

I ran my fingers through the end of my hair, trying to calm my racing heart. Even thinking about Edward and the way he held me, touched me, kissed me, sent my heart off like a horse at the Kentucky Derby. There was nothing I wanted more than to have that experience again.

"So," Rose prompted. "How was it? It couldn't have been too bad, judging by your initial reaction and your present dreamy state, but I want details, girl!"

"It was… wonderful," I supplied with another sigh. "I don't think I have ever enjoyed an activity as thoroughly as that. Whatever it was…."

"It was more than a defense mechanism, Bella, and you know it," Alice said, clearly miffed that that was what I was insinuating. "For the love of God, please just admit you love the boy."

I ignored her last plea, choosing instead to voice one of my fears. "Are you sure James didn't notice, Ali? I mean, he had to have walked right past us," I said. "He could have easily seen my face and just…." I trailed off, not really knowing where I was headed with that statement.

"All that two-timing son of a bitch saw was a hot girl making out with an equally hot boy in a sparsely populated restaurant on a Saturday afternoon with friends," my best friend assured me. "Between your hair and Edward's body, any possibility of him recognizing you was dashed."

"Thank God," I muttered. "I don't know if I could deal with that."

"Why are you with him anyway?" Rose questioned. "You obviously don't love him. Hell, it sounds like you can barely stand to be in the same room with him. And need I mention the obvious cheating that seems to be happening? Why don't you just dump his ass on the nearest curb?"

"It's complicated, Rosalie," I started.

"I'm not as dumb as I look," she answered with a smirk. "I think I can keep up."

I bit my lip, trying to think of the best way to describe my situation. "My family is big on traditions," I started. "We follow a pretty strict routine in that respect. Getting together for every holiday, birthday, anniversary…. But the main thing has always been that Pride and Prejudice type of thought of needing to marry off one's daughters. It's always been like that. And I'm the last single one in the family, so my parents have been under a bit more pressure from my grandparents than normal."

"So, you're not really worried about your parents, but your grandparents?" Rose clarified.

"No, it's my parents," I said. "My grandparents have told me repeatedly that they just want me to be happy. They've seen where they messed up with my mother. I told them that what makes my parents happy makes me happy."

"I'm calling bullshit on that one," Rose interrupted. "That life of yours is not all rainbows and unicorns."

"It was," I said. "It really was… up until three years ago, I was perfectly happy to just ignore my insecurities about marrying someone I didn't love. I figured I'd just grow to love him, you know? Like an acquired taste."

"Bullshit," Alice said cheerily. "You were hoping to find Prince Charming in that group of stuck up, self absorbed losers that your mother set you up with." My mind jumped to Edward immediately.

"_It's no big deal," he said. "It's just the Prince Charming complex in me. It makes me do all sorts of crazy things. Saving girls in dark alleyways, offering up my trusty steed, feeling compelled to keep some clumsy girl from breaking her neck."_

My gaze refocused to see Rose's hand waving in front of my face. "Oh, I think she's found Prince Charming," she laughed.

"So what if I did?" I snapped. "What if Edward is perfect in every fucking way? I can't be with him."

Rose cocked an eyebrow at me, crossing her arms. Alice stayed back, already knowing how I would react. "Please, enlighten me," Rosalie said, standing her ground. "Because there must a damn good reason why you keep turning him down when you clearly love him and he loves you more than anything in this world."

I sighed and ducked my head. "My marriage means the world to my parents," I said softly. "I couldn't let them down. My mother was always so excited to just plan needless parties and buy me puffy dresses…. It was never me, but I did it for her and my father. He wanted me to have a decent, stable household when I was no longer his responsibility and an arranged marriage was how he saw fit to get it for me. Their intentions were never bad. It was their methods." I looked up to Rose, whose expression had softened a bit at my confession. "It was only in the beginning of them planning the engagement that it started to go overboard. I didn't like any of it before then, but I hate it now."

"Well, good. Now you have a reason to get out of your crappy engagement," Rose said cheerfully.

"What do you mean?"

"Bells, I think she's right," Alice said. A smile was slowly forming on her face.

"I would love to be let in on this wonderful plan. I mean, it does have to do with my life after all."

"Okay," Rose said. "So, you know how you said that your parents want you to have a stable future?" I nodded, still not seeing where this was going. "Can James really be considered stable if he's traipsing off with other women?"

"And how do we prove that?" I said, not buying it. "It's not like we can follow him around and snap pictures to bring to my dad."

Both girls looked disappointed and I couldn't blame them. I'd effectively shot down my last hope of getting out of the engagement.

"Well, at the very least, you got one good thing out of today," Rose pointed out. "You got one hell of a good kiss."

That had us all chuckling. We ended our conversation on that note, not wanting to get depressed again before we went out to see the boys.

We all fixed our makeup and smoothed our hair before we left the restroom. Rose and Alice burst out laughing as I tripped in the doorway. We slid back into the booth, still laughing.

"So, what'd we miss?" I asked cheerily. Edward, who was looking a bit depressed and yet determined at the same time, looked up when he heard my voice and his face lit up in a brilliant smile. I smiled back, glad to see that he wasn't unhappy.

The rest of the afternoon went a lot better than any of us had anticipated. Everyone got along. Alice and Rosalie were already planning a shopping trip together and plotting a way to drag me along with them. The guys were all talking about some trade that was expected in the world of baseball.

I just sat back for a lot of the time, eating and enjoying the fact that everyone was getting along.

"Hey," Edward said quietly at one point. "You okay?" He was taking my silence as me feeling uncomfortable, but it was the exact opposite.

I smiled at him and nodded. "I'm fine, I promise," I said. "Just happy that everyone is getting along so well." Edward reached over and squeezed my hand for a minute with a smile of agreement before entering the conversation again.

We stayed at the Jasmine Dragon for over five hours. The staff grudgingly let us stay when they realized that Emmett would continue buying food. He never seemed to get full.

It was half past five when we finally got up to leave. Edward put his hand on the small of my back to lead me out behind the others.

"It was really great meeting you guys," I said to Rose and Emmett.

"Now we can hang out all the time, Baby Bell!" Emmett said, scooping me into a bear hug.

"Only if you let me breathe," I gasped when he put me down. Edward chuckled and rubbed my back to make sure I was okay.

"There'll be plenty of times to do that later, Em," Rose said with a laugh. She came over and gently hugged me. "You're perfect for him," she whispered. "Don't ever doubt that."

After I was done saying goodbye to Emmett and Rose, Edward pulled me aside. He didn't say anything right away, opting instead to push a few strands of hair out of my face and look into my eyes.

"When will I get to see you again?" he asked.

"Hopefully soon," I answered. "Rose wants me to stop by the shop and try to convince me to get something pierced. And I think my mother=2 0is preparing another party this week, so I might have to sneak out of that. I'll call you to see if you're free then."

"Okay. But you do know that you can call me anytime, right? Even if you just want to talk, you can call," he said.

I smiled up at him and nodded. "Of course, Edward. You'll never let me forget it."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead, surprising me. He'd never done anything like that. But it felt so good to have him kiss me again. If only he would kiss my lips….

"Promise me you'll think more about ending the engagement," Edward said as he looked back into my eyes.

"Yeah, sure," I replied, still dazed.

"Bye Bella," he said quietly before he turned and left with Emmett and Rose.

"Wow," I gasped. I forgot where I was and who was with me. The only thing I=2 0could concentrate on was Edward.

"Bella? Bella, are you okay? Bella!" I heard a screeching voice in front of me. I shook my head, trying to come back to reality, and saw Alice panicking in front of me. "What the hell, Bella? Do you want to give me a heart attack? What the fuck is up with you?"

"Sorry, Alice, I just spaced out there for a second," I said.

"Thinking about Edward?" Jasper teased.

"No," I lied. "Just trying to sort some things out."

"Uh-huh," Alice said sarcastically. "Sure you were. There isn't the slightest possibility that you were thinking about that little stunt Edward pulled just a minute ago. Not at all…."

"Fine! So what if I was? I retorted.

Alice smiled. "Good. At least he's good to you and does sweet things like kiss your forehead," she said. "James never does stuff like that."

I looked over at her with a suspicious glare. "You're going to pressure me about it, aren't you?"

"About what, dear best friend of mine?" she asked innocently. Jasper chuckled at my frustrated expression.

"Okay, fine. Act like a frickin' two year old," I fumed, crossing my arms over my chest. "See if I care."

"Somebody's getting her period in the next few days," Alice mumbled.

"Come on, Bella. Let's get you home," Jasper said, stepping between his wife and me.

I was silent during the walk back to their apartment. My thoughts were=2 0filled to the brim with Edward .

The feeling of his lips on mine.

The sweet gestures he always managed to show.

The calls he made to check on me.

All the fun I've had with him.

The fact that he loved me.

How I loved him.

My mind faintly registered Alice and Jasper whispering in front of me. They occasionally looked back, making sure I was still with them.

Alice tried to talk to me when we entered their place. "Bella, I'm so-"

"Ali, don't worry about it," I said sincerely. "I'm going to go take a nap or something." I was heading to the guest room when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I took it out with a smile on my face, thinking it was Edward. My smile fell when I looked at the caller ID. "Hi, mother," I sighed.

"Isabella! Where have you been? We have been worried sick about you. You haven't been picking up your phone, Jasper and Alice haven't been picking up… Honey, where are you?" My mother was genuinely worried about me and for once I felt bad for giving her reason to be concerned.

I'd been avoiding her calls since I left on Wednesday. The main point in staying with Alice and Jasper was to get away from anything that even resembled my engagement. That would be all my mother would talk about if I was home.

"I've been helping out a friend," I said.

"That's what James said, dear, but he said that you told him not to bother with contacting you," she said hysterically. "We need to know where you are!"

"Mother, I'm twenty-one! Legally, I don't even need to live at home," I said. Exasperated, I sat on the couch. Alice sat down next to me and held my hand in comfort. "I haven't been answering because I was busy helping a friend in a really tough situation. She didn't need me getting up every two seconds to inform my parents what I was doing."

"Isabella Marie! Don't you dare talk back to your mother like that!" she screeched on the other end of the line. "I have only ever done what's best for you. I do not deserve that tone of voice."

"Sorry, Mom," I sighed. I leaned back into the couch, still holding Alice's hand tightly. It was my tie to a world beyond horrific engagements.

"That's better, young lady," my mother said, instantly calmer. "Now, would you mind telling me where you are right now?"

"I stayed at Alice and20Jasper's last night," I said, for once being completely honest. "Alice wanted to take me out shopping today." And there goes the truthful streak.

"Well, in that case, would you let me talk to her?" she asked sweetly.

I shot Alice a look, knowing that she'd heard. She nodded, showing that she'd already thought of a story.

"Sure, hold on a sec," I said. I made a production of calling Alice's name, making it seem like she wasn't sitting right next to me. After a second or two, my friend plucked the phone out of my hand and began a conversation with my mother.

"Hi, Mrs. Swan. It's so nice to talk to you," Alice started. She always managed to sound cheery while talking to my mother. I needed to figure out how she did that. "Yes, ma'am. I saw her on her way home last night and begged her to come shopping with me today. She agreed – barel y – and I figured, since Jasper was going to be out with a few friends last night, that we could make a girl's night out of it. We went to a few stores this afternoon, but she couldn't find anything she liked." She paused, finally letting my mother get in a few words. "Of course, Mrs. Swan, it's always a pleasure to talk to you. Uh-huh… Alright, then. Buh-bye."

Rolling her eyes, Ali handed me back the phone.

"Hi, Mom," I said.

"Well, Isabella, it seems as if you'll need to go shopping again," she said with a sigh. "How is it that you can never seem to find anything even when you go shopping with your best friend?"

"Well, maybe it's all about taste. You know I'm not into dresses all day, every day," I said with a slightly desperate edge to my voice.

"Yes, well, do you think you'll make it home for dinner tonight?"

It was clear to me that this wasn't a request.

"Yeah, I'll leave now and I'll be home in a little while," I said. She said a quick goodbye and I hung up the phone.

I stayed against the cough, taking a few deeps breaths. When I looked up, Jasper was leaning against the wall near the door.

"Jasper, do you think you could give me a ride home?" I asked quietly.

"Already got the keys, Bells," he said with a slight smile.

I hugged Alice as I got up to leave and promised to see her in the next few days. I knew she would want to talk more about Edward, but I couldn't think about him right then. Not when I was going back to my parents.

Jasper left me to my thoughts for the car ride. He knew I needed that. Somehow he always knew when I needed that.

Ten minutes of silence past and I tried to think of nothing. Tried to get back into the mindset that I lived in at home. Tried to forget that I spent an amazing day with Edward.

I got out of the car without saying a word to Jasper when we got to my house. He managed to catch me before I got too far, pulling me into his embrace.

"Edward is better for you than James will ever be," he whispered. "Your parents will understand that eventually."

I gaped at him as he let me go and left. Apparently everyone wanted me to go against the lifestyle that I was brought up with.

Edward's face passed across my mind and I knew I had to seriously consider leaving James. I was starting to realize that I wouldn't be happy without Edward.

"Oh, Isabella!" my mother cried as I came through the door. She ran up to me and threw her arms around my waist, pulling me further into the house. She finally let go of me when she set me on the couch. "Good god, what are you wearing?"

I looked down to see that I was still wearing the outfit that I'd worn to the Jasmine Dragon. My mother never approved of me wearing things like this, always saying it was unladylike.

"Mom, you know this is how I like to dress," I said carefully.

"And you know I don't approve, Isabella," she retorted. "You should-"

"Renee, leave the girl alone," my father said as he came in to join us. "She just walked in the door.

"Do you see how she's dressed, Charles?"

"Yes, I do," he answered gently. "I also know that she is more comfortable in that than whatever you put her in."

"Charles!" my mother gasped.

"You know it's true, Renee," he said. He started walking out of the room, stopping only to kiss the top of my mother's head. "Now, I would appreciate it if we could have a nice civilized dinner since the food is ready."

I grudgingly followed my parents into the elaborate formal dining room. I had no idea why we used it when it was just the three of us, but they insisted. Force of habit from so many parties, possibly.

Dinner went by slowly and I barely contributed to the conversation. It mostly consisted of my mother's most recent plans for the wedding that I hoped would never take place. I only spoke when asked a direct question. It was the easiest way to show my displeasure without being disrespectful anymore.

I excused myself before dessert. I couldn't force myself to be in that room any longer. My cell phone was out of my pocket and dialing before I registered that I had done it.

"Bella?" a familiar voice said.

"Hey Edward," I said, situating myself on my bed.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked, worried.

"No, nothing's wrong," I assured him. "I just needed one last cry to civilization before they drag me back into the black abyss."

"Finally home, huh?" He sounded sympathetic.

"Yeah, my mother's already got me knee deep in wedding plans again," I sighed. "I don't want it, Edward. I just wish they would understand."

"I know, Bella," he said, trying to soothe me. "We'll figure something out."

"Thanks, Edward. You always know what to say."

We stayed on the phone for a long time that night. Edward was so excited that Emmett and Rosalie liked me. He sounded happier than he had in a long time.

Apparently, Emmett hadn't stopped talking about me since we left the restaurant. Something about being the little sister he never had and always wanted. Rose, on the other hand, couldn't understand how I'd grown up in high society. It was a statement of high praise from Rosalie.

I stopped listening to the words after a while. It was more interesting to me to just listen to the tone of Edward's voice. It was soothing, calming. It made me forget everything that bothered me at home.

"Bella? Are you listening?"

"Yeah, Edward, sorry," I said, snapping out of my daze. "I just zoned out for a minute there."

He chuckled. "Well, I need to get going Bella. I've got paperwork to do for the shop. I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, definitely. Good night, Edward."

"Good night, beautiful."

I hung up the phone, shocked by his words.

Edward really must love me. Why else would he do the things he did to make my knees buckle? He had a knack for always saying or doing exactly the right thing to get me to cave and it seemed that he finally started to realize his power.

I needed to find a way to resist him until I could get out of this engagement.

* * *

**AN: Hopefully you all liked this chapter. If you did (and even if you didn't, criticism is good) you need to click the green button and review. Please. Reviews are better than hearing Edward call you 'beautiful.' Well, I don't know if that's true, but just run with it.**

**Next chapter: Edward and Jasper have a heart-to-heart, Edward tries to get some more dirt on James, and Emmett develops a new obsession.**

**Please don't be afraid to let me know what you thought of the chapter! Click the big green button! *tries to influence people with a Jedi mind trick* Damn, that doesn't work in real life...**

**-Kaylee**


	7. Pompeii and Plans

**AN: I'm back! I know it was a long time between updates again and I'm sorry. I had a really bad case of writer's block until about three days ago when I busted out 3000 words in one day. I was amazed by myself. My potty mouth took over a bit too, so be warned.**

**Also! I have a very important announcement. Starting with the next chapter, this story will be found under a new title: Unattainable Perfection. It fits this story much better than the current title, and is much more original. I will also try to redo the summary since I know it's a piece of crap.**

**Once again, thank you to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea. And I don't own Twilight. I know, amazing, right?**

* * *

Chapter 6 – Pompeii and Plans

EPOV

Why the fuck had I allowed _Emmett_ of all people to go to the grocery store with me? He was like a frickin' three year old, picking out every little thing that looked interesting.

"Ed, man, look at this stuff! They have fucking _everything_ here!" he said, amazed.

"It's a supermarket, Emmett," I answered slowly. "They're supposed to have everything."

"I know, but just look at all this stuff! We never had this much in the grocery store growing up."

We were just passing the meat section when something caught his eye. He ran the next few feet forward to the cheese section and looked intently at the selection.

"Emmett, why are you staring at the cheese?" I questioned.

"Hold on a sec," he said, still searching. After a minute, he held something up to his face. "Huh, I guess Bella was right. I really did nickname her after cheese!" He laughed hysterically, which earned him strange looks from the other shoppers passing by. I shook my head, exasperated. "I'm going to get her some as a present," he decided as his laughter died down.

I shrugged and let him stuff five packages of Babybel cheese into the cart. Thanks to Emmett, the cart was already filled with double what it would be normally. I fully intended on shoving part of it into his hands when we got back to my apartment. Rose was sure to be out of work then and would get a kick out of it.

The clerk at the register raised an eyebrow when Emmett rushed to proudly pile the Babybel cheese on the conveyor belt. I just shook my head and continued with the legitimate purchases.

I took the time to bag everything myself, knowing what to keep together to give to Emmett later on. It also made me realize that I really had started to revert back to my old lifestyle without noticing it.

I was more active, doing things without getting prodded by Rose. There was more going on in my life than massive overtime at the shop. It was an actual _life_ rather than a shadow of an existence.

Now there was only one thing missing. Bella.

Rose was waiting for us back at my apartment. She eyed me as I came in toting three heavy bags in my arms and Emmett followed with an even bigger load.

"Don't laugh," I warned her, stopping in the living room. "Half of this is going home with you two."

"You know I don't live with him," she pointed out.

"Yet," I clarified. "You're there like five nights a week. Esme calls there when she can't get you on your cell…. You may as well live there."

Rosalie opened her mouth to protest, but, realizing I was right, settled for glaring at me. Triumphant, I continued toward the kitchen only to feel a sharp smack to the back of my head.

"Ow! What the hell, Rose?"

"That was for putting ideas in his head," she said with a low snarl as she went back to the couch. "Let him do it on his own."

I sighed and continued into the kitchen. I watched as Emmett tried to figure out where to put things and had to keep myself from laughing. He really did need someone else around to help him. It wasn't that he was stupid; he just didn't understand certain things. They don't teach kitchen organization to auto design and repair students.

"Em, why don't we separate what's actually staying here before we put stuff away," I suggested. "You're taking half of that home."

He smiled. "Everything I threw in, right?" I nodded and started to put bags into two separate piles. "Need me to pay you back?"

I shook my head. No, it's fine." I shot him a smirk. "You just have to pay the next time we go out."

Putting away the groceries took a lot less time than normal since I had help, but it took a lot of patience. Emmett didn't understand my system, so he asked a lot of questions.

Rose came in partway through and perched herself on the counter, watching us. "You know, you haven't had this much in your fridge since I met you," she commented quietly.

"Five years changes a lot," I answered, skirting the assumption.

"So does love," she said.

An involuntary and unexpected smile spread across my face. I tried to hi de it in the fridge, but I doubt it made much of a difference. "It's possible," I said carefully.

"Well, if it helps anything, there's a certain beautiful brunette that just so happens to wish that she wasn't engaged right now," Rose mentioned.

"Really?" My head whipped around in her direction. "She talked to you about it? What did she say?"

Rosalie grinned smugly. "Maybe she did," she stalled. "Maybe she didn't."

"Rose, please don't do this to me," I said, desperate for the information she was withholding. "I need every piece of information I can get my hands on to make this work."

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "You have a plan," she stated. I nodded, impatient. "Fine. Tell me the plan and I'll tell you what she said."

I sighed and raked my fingers through my hair. Did I want to get Rosalie involved? Would that be more of a help or a hindrance? We had said not to tell the girls, but Rose knew how to keep a secret…

"Come on, Edward," Emmett said from behind me. "Rose knows what she's doing. She'll help. Come on, man. What do you want most?"

Images came unbidden. Unfinished scenes from three years of fantasies. Some were as simple as holding her in my arms by a fire at night. Some were more intimate… her moans, breathy and stimulating, her skin smooth as silk under my fingers, her eyes pulling me further in….

"Bella," I managed. "Always Bella. Forever."

"Then you need help," Rose said matter-of-factly. "So fess up."

I took a deep breath and launched into my plan to take down James Whitlock. I needed to trust Rose since she was such a key point in my life. She would help, if not for my sake, then for Emmett's.

"And hopefully that will be enough to convince her parents," I finished. I waited, fairly impatiently, for Rose to come to conclusions and pass on her advice.

"Okay," she said slowly. "Now, let's point out a hitch or twelve." I groaned, but I knew what she said would help in the long run. "How are you going to tell her parents? They don't even know you! They won't trust you. Ho w long are you willing to commit to this? Bella said something about her mom getting closer to setting a date for the wedding. What if you don't get enough by then? What if they believe his lie over you? What if they still force Bella into this?"

"I need to _try_," I said. "I need to do _something_. I've been sitting on the sidelines for too goddamn long."

Rosalie smiled. "That's what I needed to hear," she said sweetly. "Now, my last piece of advice? You need to work double duty. You need to break Bella down at the same time. Get her to believe this will work."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

"Well, convince her that you'll be there for her. And don't just say it," Rose said. "Like, offer to go to one of her mother's crazy ass parties as an escape. But what you absolutely need to do is remind her that you love her. She doesn't believe that she's good for you, so you need to show her. Has she been here before?" She indicated the apartment as a whole.

"Once or twice, but not for very long," I said.

"Good. Then bring her back here. She'll have all the evidence she needs that you changed and then we'll all work on actually getting her to see that it was because of her."

"You really think that'll work?" I asked nervously.

"It better work," Emmett answered.

"If it doesn't, I'll convince her somehow," Rose assured me. "Oh, and Jasper said to call him. He wanted to talk to you about something."

"When did you talk to Jasper?" Emmett and I looked at her, confused.

She shrugged. "Easy. When you were busy making Bella forget her name," she said. She tossed me my phone from the counter. "Just call him. Please."

"Fine, I'll call him," I said, not really caring either way. Jasper seemed like a decent guy and I didn't mind talking to him.

It was Rose's tone that indicated an ulterior motive that had me worried.

I moved to my bedroom to have at least some semblance of privacy to make the call. The phone rang twice before a high-pitched, female voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Um, hi? Is Jasper available?" I asked, hesitantly. I couldn't quite recognize the voice that answered, so I didn't want to assume that it was Alice.

"Oh, hey, Edward. Hold on, Jazz is right here," she said cheerily. _Must be Alice_, I thought with a chuckle. "Jasper! Phone!" I heard her call.

"What? Ah can't you just…. Oh, never mind then. Hold on," came Jasper 's muffled voice in the background. There was some shuffling, followed by a clear, "Hello?"

"Hey, Jasper. It's Edward. Rose said you wanted me to call you?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I was wondering if she was ever going to give you that message," he said. Then his tone turned serious. "I wanted to talk to you about Bella."

"What? Why? Is she hurt? God, if Rose didn't tell me and Bella's hurt, I swear I'll-"

"Hey, calm down," Jasper said calmly. "Bella is fine, trust me. This isn't so much about her as it is _you_ and her."

I sighed. I knew this was coming. I'd never personally been on the receiving end of the Overprotective Male speech and I'd been hoping to keep it that way, but that apparently failed.

Figuring out that I wasn't going to say anything, Jasper continued. "Now, there is no contesting the fact that I don't know you. I only know what Bella has told me about you, and even that is just from her perspective."

_Fuck_, I thought. _This must be what it feels like to be on Death Row…. He's going to kill me._ I kept my mouth shut and let him keep going, only holding on to the tiniest glimmer of hope in the distance. Jasper had every right to beat me up six ways from Sunday and I wouldn't fight him if he did.

"Seeing the difference between the way she acts with you and the way she acts with James is like day and night," Jasper said. "And that alone is enough to make me wonder. She insists that there is nothing she would rather do than marry James-" I forced myself not to scoff, curse, or otherwise 'hate' on his brother "-to make her family happy, but Ali and I can both see that she despises him. It's not even that she just doesn't want to marry him; she would rather become a spinster with eighty cats and spend her time watching reruns of afterschool specials. And she's allergic to cats."

"Jasper, I-"

"Edward, please let me finish." I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from interrupting him again. "Bella has never been happier than when she's with you. I've always wanted her to have the same happiness that Alice and I have, and I think the only way she'll get that is with you. I want to help her in any way I can. If that means taking down that bastard I can barely stand to call a brother, just tell me what I can do."

My eyes widened as Jasper spoke. He wasn't going to hurt me.

He was going to _help_.

He had said as much the day before, but I figured he would back out. He really meant it. He wanted Bella to be with me.

"Jasper… I… really?" I stammered.

He chuckled into the receiver. "Of course," he said. "I would give almost anything to see Bella that happy for the rest of her life. That being said," his voice became serious, "if you hurt her, you can bet that you will be begging to die before I'm even half way done with you."

"If I hurt her, I will be miserable for the rest of my life, even without whatever you have planned," I said quietly. "I will do everything in my power to treat like a princess if I ever get the privilege to call her mine."

"You've got a better chance of keeping her happy if you treat her the way she wants to be treated," Jasper suggested. "She hates when anyone does something extravagant for her."

I groaned. "I tried to get her a birthday present last year," I said.

Laughter rang through the line and I knew Jasper had experienced something similar. "Did she try to give it back or interrogate you on how much you spent?" he asked.

"Interrogation came first. I, being the idiot that I am, answered honestly. It was back in my lap less than a second later."

"Did you get her to take it?"

"Not willingly," I said cryptically.

"Dare I ask?"

I chuckled, running my hand through my hair. "I stashed it in her purse while she was in the bathroom."

"It was the sketch from _The Little Mermaid_, wasn't it?" he asked. "I've been wondering where she got that…."

"She told me once that she felt trapped like Ariel," I said. "I thought it would be appropriate."

"She has it framed on her bedside table. It's the only picture that someone's given her that she's ever even considered getting framed," Jasper said. He paused long enough to let that thought sink in. "Edward, she loves you."

"She won't admit it," I retorted. "It's like she doesn't _want_ to love me."

"No, she doesn't want to disappoint her family. She _does_ want to love you," Jasper countered. "You just need to make it a valid option because she won't do anything."

"I have a plan to get rid of _him_… I just hope it works," I said. "Bella's a completely different story. Rose says I should just reinforce the fact that I love her, but I don't want to smother her."

"Maybe just being there for her will be enough."

"I hope so."

We finished the call quickly. Jasper and Alice had a dinner planned and she was forcing him to dress up. I left him to his wife's torture while he left me to perfect my plan.

I took a minute to myself before I went back to find Rose and Emmett watching something on TV.

"… _the most frequent of which was curbside sex_…" the narrator of the show said.

"So, it's like a Drive-Thru?" Emmett asked, speaking to no one in particular.

"What are you two watching?" I said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Some documentary about how Pompeii was like one giant brothel," Rose explained with a chuckle. "Emmett saw 'sex' in the title and decided we had to watch it."

"_Most encounters were quick and dirty_…" the narrator continued.

"Of course they were if it was a Drive-Thru!" Emmett said loudly.

Rose covered her mouth to hide her laughter. "He's getting really into it," she explained. "And it's not even turning him on…."

I shook my head as I looked at my cousin, his eyes never straying from the screen.

"_Archaeologists have determined that there were over forty separate brothels throughout Pompeii as well as thirteen cribs and nine public baths that engaged in prostitution_." I was amazed that the narrator didn't just burst into laughter after some of the things he said.

"I swear they're just drilling the McDonald's references into people's heads," Emmett said, amazed. "The Drive-Thru thing, the amount of them in town… I half expect someone to just spit out 'Do you want fries with that?'"

Rosalie and I looked at each other, shocked, before we dissolved into laughter. I had to hold the back of the couch to keep from falling over.

Emmett finally took his eyes off the show as his brain processed what he'd said. He quickly joined in our laughter.

I fell into a nearby chair, gasping and trying to catch my breath. "God, I'm never going to be able to look at McDonald's the same way again," I choked out. Rose nodded in agreement.

The three of us kept watching the show, making jokes whenever we could. One in particular came from the amount of phallic symbols they showed.

"Could they be any more obvious?" Rose said, astounded. "They just throw out pictures of dicks like every two cobblestones. And using the god of fertility as the inspiration for their _streetlamps_? Overkill."

"Yeah, that guy's cock is like two feet long!" Emmett pointed out. "No one has anything close to that."

Rose leaned over and kissed Emmett's neck slowly and not-so-subtly palmed his crotch. "Don't worry, babe," she purred. "Your cock is just perfect."

"Damn straight," he answered proudly before attacking her.

I rolled my eyes and chucked a pillow at their heads. "Get a fucking room!" I said. They separated, but only at the mouth.

"Aw, does little Edward feel left out?" Rose asked patronizingly. "Maybe I could call Bella… I'm sure she'd be happy to come over and help with your problem." She leaned forward to grab my phone off the coffee table where I'd dropped it. I lunged for it and managed to pull it from her fingers. She smirked at me. "I wasn't going to call her. But it's nice to see that reaction."

They went home around eight that night, leaving me to my own devices. For the first time in years, I actually felt lonely when they left. Not even two months before, I would have been begging them to leave, but now their presence was welcome.

I was finally starting to realize that I had succeeded in cleaning up my act. I had a steady job. Despite dropping out of college, my education was decent. The drugs were completely out of my system. I'd quit smoking. The scars on my thighs from the few times I'd tried cutting – which Emmett and Rose never knew about – were starting to fade.

But, most importantly, I had a plan. A plan to get what my parents always wanted for me.

I made the call that would set my plan in motion. With a job like mine, I had to know a lot about my clients. It definitely paid to listen to those endless sob stories. You never know when those connections could come in handy.

Tattooing is based around trust. If someone doesn't trust the artist, they shouldn't get inked there. It was common sense. But if they do, that sense of trust tended to last for a long time and friendship would sometimes form around that foundation.

I wanted to get in touch with this particular client before his appointment later in the week. He assured me that he would have the information I wanted by the time he came to the shop on Thursday. Hopefully it would be enough to work with.

The next few days passed uneventfully. I spent my days at Twilight, but not my usual out of control schedule. I had a normal work week now, switching off with Rose for time with the interns, knowing that we each had something different for them to learn from.

I was watching TV on Wednesday night when my phone rang. I picked it up without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" I said, still paying attention to the screen. The Red Sox were down 5-0 in the seventh to the Yankees.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll call back if I'm interrupting something." My attention was immediately diverted when my mind registered Bella's voice.

"No, you're not," I said quickly. "It's just a baseball game. I'll probably be depressed if I keep watching anyway."

"Sox versus Yankees?" she said.

"How'd you know?"

"My dad likes baseball, too. I can hear him swearing at the pitcher from up here," she explained.

"Yeah, well, if the bullpen didn't suck, it wouldn't be an issue," I grumbled.

"Are you going to keep talking about baseball? I thought we were done with Gloomy Edward," she chuckled.

"Do you have something to cheer me up?"

"Um, I'm not really sure if it's a good thing or not."

"I'm leaning towards bad with the tone in your voice, but I'll bite. What is it?"

"Alice is planning another group outing," she started.

"That's not bad," I said.

Bella sighed. "Clubbing."

"Oh."

We were both silent as we let that sink in. A dark, crowded room filled with drunk, horny, and probably indecent people looking for a good time and a good lay. How could that possibly be a good thing?

Then I thought about Bella. Alice would make sure she had something other than a cocktail dress to wear. It would hug her curves and she would look exquisite. No one would know her there. I could ask her to dance. I could hold her in my arms.

"Well, it could be worse," I said.

"Oh, how could it possibly be worse?" Bella complained. "You've never been out clubbing with Alice. She'll make us all drink ourselves into a stupor, find some way to make each and every one of us look stupid, and she always manages to convince us to do it again."

"I won't drink," I said forcefully.

"I know you won't," she sighed. "But it's not me that you have to explain that to. It's Alice. She'll need a reason."

"Whatever, as long as I don't have to drink," I said.

"She's inviting Emmett and Rose too, so maybe that will help your case," Bella said.

I smiled. "Yeah, it will also make the night a bit more entertaining. Emmett likes to argue when he gets drunk. I would love to see him and Alice duke it out about something," I said. "Of course, the night would never be complete without a dance. It's what's expected at a club, after all." I was teasing her, hoping she would take the bait and offer to dance with me.

"Well, good luck finding someone worth dancing with," she said nonchalantly. "Most of the girls there are starved to fit into a size two and have bigger boobs than Angelina Jolie."

She didn't take the bait. I'd have to try a more direct approach.

"Who needs those girls when I'll have a perfectly proportional, well-adjusted, beautiful girl sitting next to me all night?"

"Who, Rose? Yeah, I guess." Bella sounded disappointed. She didn't understand that I was talking about her. "I don't think Emmett will want to share her, though."

"No, he won't," I said. "But I wasn't talking about Rose. I was talking about you, Bella."

"Me? You want to dance with _me_?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"Because I look like a complete idiot while I'm dancing and you don't need to be subjected to that," she explained. "You would be much better off finding one of the disproportionate, slutty girls."

"I would have much more fun dancing with you, Bella. I'm sure you'll still be just as beautiful while you're dancing as you are every other day," I countered.

"I highly doubt it," she argued. "James is convinced that I am a beached whale when I dance. He has since decided that we will dance to the slowest song he can find for our wedding and he will hire someone to teach me the easiest steps that are humanly possible."

"He underestimates you," I said, trying to keep my voice level. He called her a _beached whale_! I didn't care that he was engaged to her, he shouldn't have been making that kind of a comment. "First of all, you look nothing like a whale," I managed to keep my voice light, going back to teasing her. "Maybe a little like a dolphin, but at least they're cute."

"Edward!" she said. I could tell she was trying not to laugh. "Are you saying I have a bottle-nose?"

"Yeah. But it's cute. A mix between Flipper and Pinocchio." Somehow I was able to say that deadpanned.

She finally let herself laugh and I smiled in response. "That's the first time I've laughed all day," she said.

"That doesn't sound good," I said.

"That's why I called. I really needed someone to cheer me up," she continued sadly.

"How 'bout you tell me what's wrong and then I'll figure out the best way to cheer you up," I suggested.

Bella groaned. "My mother invited James over to spend the day 'bringing him up to speed on my life,' as she put it," she explained. "She went through a bunch of home videos and told him every story she could think of."

"You'd think she would have gotten that out of the way as soon as the two of you were official," I commented.

"Not helping," she grumbled.

"Sorry," I said with a small laugh. "Well, I have a story you should enjoy."

That piqued her interest. I retold the experience of watching the show about Pompeii. Before I could even get to the good part, she stopped me, shocked that I would watch that with them.

"It was interesting," I said, shrugging even though she couldn't see it. "Besides, why is it so hard to believe that I would watch something like that?"

"Well, you just… don't seem like the type to… be…" she stuttered. "I just didn't expect you to be the kind of guy who cares about other people's sex lives."

"At first it was just because of how Emmett was reacting," I confessed. "But it talked about the fact that it wasn't just Pompeii, it was all over the Roman Empire. If it hadn't been covered in lava when it was-"

"Okay, I get it," she laughed. "You're a history buff when something catches your attention."

I let out a chuckle. "Yeah, I guess. Now can I continue with my story?"

"Of course. I'm sorry I interrupted. Please continue."

I instantly fell back into the story, telling it as well as I could. Bella reacted exactly as I'd hoped. She was sucked into the story, not caring about anything else in the world. She had already forgotten about what had happened earlier in the day.

Bella was gasping in laughter by the end of it. "I don't think I'll ever look at French fries the same way again."

"Are you kidding? I can't even look at street signs," I said, laughing along with her.

"Thanks, Edward," she said quietly when we had both settled down.

"For what?"

"For distracting me and making me laugh."

"Bella, you know I'd do anything for you," I said seriously.

"Edward, don't-"

"Just know that I'm there for you, okay?" I continued. "I won't say it tonight. I promise."

Bella sighed into the phone and I could picture her biting her lip. She did it out of frustration, nervousness, and to avoid saying something that she would regret.

_What if she's trying to stop herself from telling me that she loves me?_

That thought was only given a split second's consideration before I threw it out. There was no way.

"Edward, I… Can I call you Friday night?" She sounded nervous.

Why was she nervous about calling me? She called me all the time.

"You know you can call me whenever," I said, confused. "You don't need to ask."

"Well, my mom's having another soiree and she's insisting that people stay as long as possible, so it probably won't be over until like one in the morning and I don't want to call too late, so I figured I'd ask in case you'd be asleep then. I didn't want to wake you up. I know you've been overworking yourself and you need the sleep so-" She stopped abruptly. "Shit, I'm rambling. I'm sorry…."

I tried to suppress my laughter, but a chuckle escaped. "It's fine, Bella. I'm working the late shift that night so I probably won't even get to sleep until around three. It won't be too late."

"But if you're working then I won't disturb you."

"If you call me, I'm going to answer," I said plainly. "If I'm at work, so be it. I'll shove one of the interns into my place. It's not an issue, Bella."

"Okay… if you're sure," she said hesitantly.

"Bella, if you don't want me to say it, you need to stop with that attitude," I goaded.

"Ugh, fine. But if I wake you up, it's your own damn fault," she hissed.

"If it means you won't be forced into being depressed all weekend, I'll pay that small price."

"Whatever, Edward. It's late, you should go to bed."

"Coming from the girl who plans to ruin my beginning-of-the-weekend beauty sleep," I teased.

"Shut up and go to bed," she grumbled.

"Goodnight, Bella," I laughed. "I'll talk to you later."

"Night Edward," she answered quietly.

I closed my phone with a smile on my face. It stayed in place even after my head hit the pillow and sleep claimed me.

The next morning brought a familiar case of morning wood when I woke up around ten. I was still too tired to do anything about it so I dragged myself into the kitchen to have something to eat. I noticed a pile of muffins on the counter.

"Rose," I said with a smile. I needed to remember to thank her. She hadn't brought over muffins in a while. Then I noticed the picture sitting next to the muffins.

It was a screenshot of the fertility god streetlamp from the Pompeii show.

I doubled over in laughter. The picture proved to distract my mind enough to get rid of my Dream Bella-induced erection and instantly brighten up my day all at once.

I walked into Twilight a little after noon. Rose was sitting behind the counter, nose in a book. I knew better than to ask about it. The last time I'd asked about a book she was reading, she'd snapped and demanded why it was weird for her to be reading. She informed me – forcefully – that she was teaching herself how to fix a problem with Emmett's Jeep.

So, instead, I questioned the addition to my muffins.

"The muffins are good, but did I really need the picture of the two foot cock?" I laughed.

Rosalie stuck a bookmark in and closed the book. She craned her neck to look at me. "Hey, that wasn't me. That was the crazy-ass I call my boyfriend," she said.

"If you would like me to, I could remind that crazy-ass that you're still waiting for a ring," I said. I knew she was frustrated that Emmett hadn't proposed yet. She'd always dreamed of having a husband and kids and she wanted those with Emmett.

"Don't stress yourself out over it, Ed," she said with a small smile. "We've kind of talked about it, in a roundabout way. But the message was clear. He wants to, but he's not ready. I don't know if it's because he doesn't have a ring or because he doesn't have a plan, but I know he wants to. He's been making subtle hints." She looked down at the book in her lap, not really seeing it. "I heard him grumbling about getting a minivan to cart the kids around the other day."

I smiled and kissed her forehead as I went by. "I told you he'd come around to the idea," I said. "I'm really happy for you, Rose."

"I'd be happier for you if you'd get your butt in gear where Bella's concerned," she countered. "You have a plan. When is that plan going to happen?"

"I called him the other day and he said he'd have information for me when he came in today," I said.

"Then you better hope it's good news," she said.

The afternoon was fairly slow. A few regulars came in for small additions. One girl came in looking to have a tattoo done. She reminded me a lot of Bella, coming in as a small rebellion to her parents. She looked scared to death as she looked around the shop.

Rose had been talking to her, getting a feel of what she wanted. When I saw how scared she was, I quickly intervened.

"Maybe a tattoo isn't such a good idea," I commented gently.

"She seems pretty invested in the decision," Rose said.

"A piercing would have the same effect, would be a lot cheaper, and be a lot less painful," I added. The girl looked up at me and smiled. She nodded to Rose.

"And suddenly he knows everything about rebelling teenage girls," Rose scoffed, rolling her eyes. She pulled the girl into the back room to negotiate what she wanted done.

At five minutes of six, the door opened and my face broke out into a smile when I saw who it was. He wasn't scheduled until six thirty.

"Garrett, you came early," I said happily.

"It seemed important from what you said on the phone," the man commented as we shook hands in greeting. "I figured you'd want to know as soon as possible."

"Yeah, thank you. That's great."

Garrett Johnson had been coming to Twilight since before I started working there. He had started an elaborate back piece to go along with the story of his life, starting with when he proposed to his girlfriend – now wife of three years – Kate.

But the reason I'd called him wasn't his ongoing tattoo additions. Garrett worked as a Private Investigator's assistant. He had access to resources that I'd never even dreamed of and it was perfect to get information about James.

They didn't have to worry about Garrett's boss. It was known to Garrett's friends that J. Jenks was a hard ass, but had a soft spot for guys with rough pasts trying to make right. He'd hired Garrett when he was released from an abusive foster home and granted legal emancipation at seventeen.

Garrett set a nondescript manila folder on the counter in front of me. "You want to do this here or in your office?" he asked.

I turned to Rose who sighed.

"Go find a way to get your princess out of marrying the warlock," she said as she came over to cover the front counter.

I led Garrett into my office, which was barely more than a spacious closet. It worked for paperwork and privacy though, so I didn't care. I set the folder on the desk but I couldn't bring myself to open it.

"Afraid of what's in there?" he asked quietly. I nodded, not trusting my voice. "Well, there wasn't anything that looked instantly suspicious."

My hopes shattered. If he hadn't found anything, there wasn't anything to find. Garrett was the best at what he did.

"So, what you're saying is there's _nothing_ I can use?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying," he said with a sly smile. I cocked an eyebrow at him, staying silent. "Each individual thing looks like nothing. But as a whole, there's definitely something to work with."

I got curious and opened the folder, flipping through the files that Garrett had assembled. There were ten files of charges against James, but all had been dropped.

"How can we work with this if all the charges were dropped?" I questioned him.

"Every one of these charges had something to do with sexual harassment," Garrett explained. "Four from his work, three from ex-girlfriends, two from well-known establishments, and one that came about as a counter to an assault charge that James filed. But if you notice the dates that they were dropped, it's all the same time period.

"It only takes a few days for the news of charges filed against someone to get back to them. Every one of those charges was dropped eight days after they were filed. Figure three for him to get the news, at least two days of negotiating, another to get some money inconspicuously, one last day to lower the settlement, and then it's dropped the next day. This guy knows what he's doing.

"I talked to a few guys down at the station and they all know him by reputation. They say he's one of those guys that likes to use his women and dump them on their asses as quickly as possible. Always looks for experienced girls, but never prostitutes. Always takes them out to either really crowded clubs or restaurants during the lulls. He's definitely avoiding something."

I looked at Garrett who had a knowing smirk on his face and I hoped there was a way that I could use this information for Bella's own good.

"Okay, so we know he's a whoring bastard, but since the charges were dropped we can't really do anything, right?" I asked.

"Technically, no. but what you _can_ do it check in with the people who filed the charges and find out what happened," he said. "That will give you more ammunition than you can imagine."

I flipped through the files again, noting phone numbers and addresses. Every single one was across town from where Bella lived. It was obvious that James was avoiding something.

One of these girls had to know something.

One of them could have the answer I needed. The answer that would help Bella.

I smiled, knowing that my plan had been set in motion.

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**AN: So, now Edward's on the right track. But you won't hear anything about his progress during the next chapter since it's BPOV. However, there might be something better than that. Also, I should note that the show about Pompeii is real. It was on the History channel last week and I watched it with my parents. And all the crap about McDonald's was brought up while watching it. I had to use it in this because I thought it was something Emmett would do.**

**Next chapter: More insight as to Bella's home life, probably the beginning of the club scene (depending on length), and maybe some action between Bella and Edward. Maybe...**

**Remember! New title, new look, SAME STORY! It will help to have it on alert so you know when the next chapter comes out. I'll be changing the title right before I update next. Please review to let me know what you think. Whether it's about the title (I really hope you all like it because I've become attached to it) or that I have a really odd taste in weekend TV shows (which is probably true), I would love to know what you think. Plus, more reviews will get a faster update. Less than two weeks if I get over ten reviews. And, if by some miracle, I get twenty reviews for this chapter, I will try my absolute hardest to get it in under a week (but I doubt it will happen since I'm doing college shopping this week). Please let me know what you think!**

**-Kaylee**


	8. Sober Choices and Drunken Sexcapades

**AN: Barely two weeks. I'm impressed with myself since I've been running around like a nut getting ready for college (I'm leaving on Wednesday!). But the title is officially changed, the summary is tweaked, and there's a new chapter. I'd say that's a pretty good day. Hopefully you guys like it too. Although, I feel like I should mention that near the end of this chapter, I tend to drop F-bombs fairly often. But this fic _is _rated M, so deal with it. :)**

**Thanks again to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea. I don't own Twilight and I never will. Damn...**

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Chapter 7 – Sober Choices and Drunken Sexcapades

BPOV

When I hung up the phone after talking to Edward on Wednesday, I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Talking to him always managed to cheer me up, but he'd also given me hope that I wouldn't be going to bed grumpy or depressed on Friday. Well, probably more like Saturday morning.

I put my phone on the small table next to my bed. The framed picture that sat there caught my attention. My fingers trailed along the frame.

Edward had remembered when I made the comparison between my life and Ariel's. _I hope your story turns out like hers_, he'd written on the back of the picture.

Did he mean getting out from under my parents' thumb and being free to make my own decisions? Or did he mean getting to be with the one I love?

I sighed and got up to tuck the picture into a drawer, hiding it from view. My mother was planning on invading my room on Friday and I didn't want her taking that out. She didn't need to know about it. I made sure it wasn't anywhere near where she usually liked to snoop. She'd already found my stash of sweatpants and I couldn't risk losing more of _my_ clothes.

I spent all of Thursday holed up in my bedroom reading. It was my pre-party ritual: I'd spend the day hiding out doing things I liked while avoiding everything I hated. My mother was fully capable of setting up the details for the party on her own.

James tried to come into my room, not believing my mother when she told him of my habit. She didn't agree with my choices, of course, but she didn't argue either. Thankfully I'd locked my door and turned up my music very quickly after waking up.

My father informed me that James had stormed out of the house, muttering about not being able to see his fiancée.

James haunted my dreams that night. It was almost like the night three years before. The only difference was the lack of Edward. He wasn't there to save me.

I tried to stay brave through the initial beating. No Edward.

I froze when James' rough touches marred my skin. Still no Edward.

I woke up, gasping, when James crushed me to the wall, forcing his mouth on mine. The clock read 3:24. I pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs and biting my lip to keep from screaming.

That dream was basically my worst fear. Edward was the only good thing about that night in the alley. James was the worst thing in my life now. Putting them together was enough to make me cower in my bed, afraid to go back to sleep.

Once I was able to control my breathing, my body carried me over to where I'd hidden the sketch Edward had given me. It was the one thing that would calm me down since I refused to call him this early in the morning. I sunk to the floor when I had the frame safely in my grasp.

The picture was a simple rendering of Ariel breaking the surface right after Ursula has turned her human. It was the most poignant shot in the movie for me, seeing her get her first taste of a different life, feeling freedom and change in one moment. Edward understood that need in me, as well as my stubborn and loyal nature, and still loved me. He loved me despite my countless attempts to shove him away.

Little did he know it got harder to say no every time.

I pulled myself off the floor and set the picture back on my bedside table. I was beyond caring if Mother would object. Short of hearing Edward's voice, having the picture out would be the only way for me to get to sleep.

I couldn't deal with having that dream again, so the picture stayed out.

I couldn't remember any other dreams when I woke up the next morning. However, that could have been partially due to my mother bursting into my room.

"Isabella! What are you still doing in bed?" she shrieked. "You know how much I have planned today!"

_Yeah, shoving me into as many dresses as you can before I threaten you_, I thought bitterly as I sat up.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was after ten thirty. Well, I had to give her _some_ credit at least. I'd agreed to be up and ready by ten. My dad deserved a thank you.

"Give me fifteen minutes, Mother, and I'll be ready," I said through a yawn. "I promise."

She cocked an eyebrow at me for a few seconds before nodding. "Not a second more," she said brusquely before leaving my room in a huff.

I groaned and lay back on the bed for another minute before forcing myself up to get ready.

Another day of preparing for parties, another day of avoiding questions about my relationship with James.

"So, how is James?" my mother asked as she started sorting through the atrocious amount of dresses in my closet.

"No idea, Mother. I haven't spoken to him in two days. He's been working a lot."

"Oh, well, I'm sure he's just dying to see you. We'll have to find you a spectacular dress to make up for it. And don't be afraid to sneak away with him in the middle of the pa-"

"I'm not going to sneak away like a fifteen year old," I said sternly. "Believe me; I can handle myself around James."

"Oh, Isabella, he's your fiancé. You must feel like you need to sneak away at least some of the time." She almost sounded hopeful. She really didn't notice that I couldn't stand him.

It wasn't time to reveal that I was hoping to end the engagement. She would never take it well if I spilled it in the middle of a fitting session. It had to be a carefully coordinated meeting with both of my parents. I needed a good reason, I needed support, I needed evidence, and, above all, I needed Edward.

I knew the last point was impossible, but I planned to at least talk to him before it came out. I needed his support. Jasper and Alice assured me that they would be there with me, but it wasn't the same as having the man you love – and who loves you – standing with you.

Somehow my mother dropped the subject when she realized that I wasn't going to answer her. Instead, she focused on the stack of dresses that she'd set aside for me to model for her.

"Okay, let's try on the simple black one first," she said. "You can never go wrong with a little black dress!"

Of course, my mother's version of a little black dress and my version were completely different. Mine was a simple, knee-length dress with no frills.

Hers was a floor-length, elaborate ball gown with embroidery and beading beyond necessity. It was frilly, poofy, and grotesque in my opinion.

I suffered through five dresses of similar styles before I put my foot down. "Mom, seriously, I can't wear these," I said. I went to an area further into the closet where the dresses that Alice and I had picked out as backups in case something like this happened. "You can pick which ones you like from these."

She looked through the options I'd given her and made a few faces. "How can you want to wear these, Isabella? They aren't anything like what you usually wear."

"I never said I like what I usually wear, Mom," I replied. I smiled as I touched one of the dresses. It was the same shade of green as Edward's eyes, though I claimed I'd picked it for the style. It was a simple design with a sweetheart neckline and an A-line skirt that came to my knees. It was perfectly appropriate.

Before my mother could say anything else about my tastes, I plucked the dress off the hanger and ran to my bathroom. I changed into it quickly before coming out to show her.

"What do you think about this one, Mother?" I asked when I had her attention. She walked slowly around me and I held still under her gaze.

"It fits you perfectly," she started. "And it looks wonderful on you."

"But?" I knew it was coming. It had to be coming.

"But I'm not sure if it's appropriate for tonight's event," she finished.

"Mom, it's a house party, not a gala event," I said carefully. "I don't need a ball gown."

"Then I'd say it's perfect, Isabella."

I smiled and went back into the bathroom to change into my regular clothes.

When I went back out into the bedroom, my mother was holding the picture Edward gave me. My first reaction was to run over and snatch it from her hands, but I resisted. Instead, I let her continue to look it over.

"Where did you get this?" she asked. "I've never seen this in your room."

"It was a gift," I said shortly. I didn't need to give her too much information.

"Aw, that's sweet of James. You always did love _The Little Mermaid_," she said softly.

Of course she would jump right to James.

"It's wasn't James."

"Oh, Jasper and Alice, then?"

"I have other friends, Mother. You haven't met the one who gave me this." I gently pulled it out of her hands and put it back on my bedside table.

"I guess it's not my place to pry then," she said. She sounded a little put out about not being able to know every little detail about my life. Sensing her defeat, my mother changed the subject. "You'll be alright getting ready later?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," I said. "Alice said she'd come help me with my hair."

"Alright, well, there are things that need to be prepared," she said awkwardly.

"I'm sure you'll get what you need to done. You always do," I said. Even I wasn't sure how I meant that to be taken.

I fell on my bed after my mother closed the door. My eyes fell on the sketch once again. The most famous song in the movie seemed to be playing on repeat in my mind. I'd never understood it completely until then.

There wasn't a single thing I could think of that I wanted more than to be a part of Edward's world.

By three in the afternoon, I was a mess. I'd been pacing my room for over an hour and I hadn't gotten a thing accomplished. As I turned once again, my gaze fell on the Ariel sketch.

Again.

I groaned and stormed out of my room, flying down the stairs. Food was always an easy way for me to sort through my feelings, so I headed to the kitchen with every intention of asking the advice of two very wise, rich men, Ben and Jerry.

The doorbell rang as I was reaching for the freezer handle. I waited a minute for Maria, the maid, to get the door before I remembered that my mother would be roping in as much help as she could find for this party. My father was still at work, so that left me.

"I'll get it," I called to no one.

I didn't even bother looking through the peephole before opening the door, so I was surprised to see three people standing in front of me when I was only expecting one.

"Jasper, James, I didn't expect you two to come early," I said, shocked.

James stepped forward quickly and took my hand, bringing it to his lips. His fake displays of chivalry were really starting to piss me off.

The thought of where his lips may have been since the last time I saw him didn't help the situation either.

"Is it such a bad thing for a man to want to see his fiancée before there are too many distractions?" he said with a sly smile.

"Actually, James, I've claimed Bella for this afternoon," Alice piped up as she let herself and her husband in, closing the door behind her. "If you'd talked to her in the last week, you would have known that."

"Oh," he said. "Well, I'm sure my brother and I can find some way to entertain ourselves while our women over indulge in their beauty treatments." I nearly gagged at the way he said "our women." I hated how possessive he was over me when there was no feeling behind it. "Oh, and Isabella? Don't forget to wear a necklace. You look like a giraffe without one."

Without another word, he turned to make himself comfortable in _my_ house without an invitation. Jasper's shoulders fell when he realized that he had to join his brother.

"Save me," he hissed. "Soon."

When Jasper was safely in the other room, I grabbed Alice's hand and dragged her up the stairs. The door slammed behind me as I practically bounded into my room.

I grabbed a pillow off the bed and screamed into it, as loud and as long as I could. Before long, my screams turned to sobs and I sunk to the floor, clutching the pillow to my chest. Alice came and knelt in front of me.

"Bella, honey? What's wrong?" she asked softly.

"How am I going to live with him?" I said through my tears. "I can't stand even being in a room with him for more than a minute and I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with him. I want to cringe every time he touches me, but pulling away will just make him want to be with other girls more often. It's… it's not right."

"You need to talk to your parents, Bella," Alice said. Her tone was soft, but her expression was hard. "They need to know that this is hurting you. You can't keep acting like you're okay with this in front of them."

"How can I tell them, Ali? I can't just come out and say 'By the way, my fiancé's a manwhore and I'd rather be out fucking an orphaned tattoo artist whom I love?' How will that make any of this better?"

"They're your parents, Bell. They need to know that you aren't happy."

I sighed and rested my head against my bed. "I'm just so scared of what they'll think. That they won't believe me," I whispered. "To them, it's always been about finding the perfect husband for me. They think that's James. I can't do this to them."

Alice came and sat next to me. "You've been selfless all your life, Bella. I've always told you that," she started. "But I think it's time for you to do something _selfish_. Something _you_ want. And everyone else be damned."

I stayed silent, not wanting her to know how much I wanted to do just that. If there was even the slightest chance of it being okay, I would go downstairs and throw the ring back in James' face before running to find Edward.

Alice sighed and got up. She came back quickly holding something. She set the only framed picture I had in my lap.

"Jazz told me this was from Edward," she said. "I'd wondered why you'd gotten it framed, but it makes sense now. It's the one thing that reminds you of him that you have in your own house."

I stared at the drawing behind the glass, letting memories flood my mind. Thoughts of Edward and me.

The memory of the night he first told me he loved me.

Every time he offered up his apartment as an escape.

The way he looked as he was teaching me to defend myself.

The way his lips felt against mine…

I slid the picture out of the frame and flipped it over. My fingers traced the message that Edward had written for me. I knew Alice was reading it too, but I couldn't care at that moment. My mind was too busy arguing over what to do about James and Edward.

"Maybe I can do something for myself for once," I said, thinking aloud. "I can't get rid of James yet since I have absolutely nothing to show for it, but I could still be with Edward…."

My eyes widened as I realized what I was saying. I looked at Alice. She had been smiling, but it fell as she took in my pale, shocked expression.

"Bella?" she questioned.

"That makes me like him," I gasped. "That makes me like James."

Her face softened in understanding. "No, it doesn't. You're doing it out of love," she explained. "He is doing it out of a need for power and for himself. You're doing this for you and Edward."

"Right," I said, taking deep breath. "This is for Edward."

My cell phone vibrated on my bedside table, interrupting my thoughts. I got up to check it, confused as to who could be texting me. Opening the phone, a smile broke out across my face.

_Good luck tonight. And I meant what I said about calling me later. My phone will be on. –E_

How did he do that? How did he always manage to say the right thing at the right time?

I took a few deep breaths before I turned back to Alice with a soft smile.

"Okay, I think I'm alright now," I said.

"Good, because now I need to help you decide what you want to wear tonight," she said, bouncing toward my closet. "I know your mom's taste and trust me-"

"I've already picked out my dress, Ali," I said happily.

Alice turned to me, confused. "She didn't make a horrendous choice?"

"_I_ picked it," I said with a chuckle. I walked a few feet into my closet and pulled out the green dress to show my best friend. It took her a second to recognize it, but her face lit up when she did.

"I know exactly how to do your hair!" she said excitedly.

We headed to save Jasper about an hour before the party was set to start. Alice had done my hair perfectly. Some of it was pulled back, but just enough of it remained free so as to frame my face. The rest of it fell in loose waves around my shoulders and down my back. It looked almost effortless, but took around an hour to perfect.

Jasper sighed in relief when he noticed us enter the room. His eyes were drawn to Alice who was wearing a dress specifically chosen to make up for sticking him with his brother. It was strapless and fairly tight in the bodice, but had a flowing skirt that swirled around with the slightest movement. It was designed to accent a woman's breasts and that was exactly where Jasper's eyes were drawn. He slowly approached his wife and they were instantly lost in each other's gaze. I had thought they were out of that newlywed phase, but apparently not.

James was still sitting across the room chatting away with my father, who acknowledged me with a smile. It took my _fiancé_ a full minute to realize that my father was no longer answering him – clearly trying to steer his attention to me. James looked in my direction, sizing me up. He stood up and came over to me, stopping with about two feet between us.

"Well, you look wonderful, Isabella," he said, clearly pleased. He hadn't even noticed that I wasn't wearing a necklace – which I left off specifically to piss him off – since his eyes were glued to my chest. It wasn't an intimate situation as what Jasper and Alice were doing. Not by a long shot.

"Thank you, James," I said. It was polite, but my tone was flat.

My father shot me a look from behind James' back, silently asking me what was wrong. I shook my head slightly to keep him from asking out loud.

"If you'll excuse us, sir, James, my wife and I need Isabella for one more thing," Jasper said from behind me. He put a hand on my shoulder and started pulling me away before my father or my fiancé had a chance to answer. My friends and I found refuge in the empty game room.

"So, I'm hoping there's a good reason I had to put up with James rambling for a few hours straight," Jasper said.

"I'm really sorry about that," I said. "But he would have been suspicious if you'd come up with us, but he wasn't allowed."

"I understand that," he said, rolling his eyes. "However, that wasn't what I was asking."

"There's a perfect reason, Jazz," Alice said excitedly. She elbowed me in the ribs. "Come on, tell him."

"There isn't really anything to tell yet." My gaze was focused on my hands, wringing them together in my lap.

"Of course there is!" Alice cried in exasperation. "She finally agreed to go with her feelings!"

Jasper still looked confused. "What are you talking about, Ali?"

"She's going to stop resisting Edward," she said more slowly.

"Really?" Jasper said, looking at me. I nodded slowly and he smiled at me. "I'm really happy for you, Bella," he whispered and he hugged me gently.

"Thanks, Jasper," I said. "But I still have to deal with James until I can officially end the engagement."

"Edward's got a plan," he said with a smile. "We've all been told not to tell you what it is, but he's got a plan."

I scoffed and shook my head. "Of course he won't tell me," I grumbled. "He says he loves me, but he refuses to let me in on anything important."

"Aw, cheer up, Bells," Alice said happily. "You don't have to have an excuse to make out with him anymore."

I stared at her for a minute, shocked, before I burst out laughing. "You know, that's a good point. I'll have to remember that," I said. I happened to look at the clock and sighed. "I guess we should get back, though. My mother is probably wondering why we're not greeting the guests that haven't shown up yet."

When we returned to the rest of my family and James, there were a few guests starting to trickle in. We made small talk as a group until there were too many people to make that possible. James, in an effort to look like he had a reason to be there, instantly dragged me away from any of the people I really wanted to be near when groups started to form. From that point on, the conversations just became more unbearable.

"So, how are the wedding plans going?" one woman – the neighborhood gossip – asked.

"Just wonderful, wouldn't you say, Isabella?" James said looking down at me with what should have been a sweet smile. It looked forced and malicious to me.

"Yes, they're coming along nicely," I said with fake enthusiasm. "It would be a lot easier if we had a color scheme to work with, but we can't seem to agree."

I nearly gagged at my own words. This was the ploy I was using for my mother. Make it look like we're doing something while having a perfectly legitimate reason for not having anything ordered.

"Have you decided on a honeymoon destination yet?" another woman asked.

I hesitated, not quite sure how to answer that one and definitely not wanting to. "Um, well, n-"

"Actually, it's all planned out," James responded cockily. "I want to surprise my beautiful bride."

Ugh… I really hoped he was lying through his teeth. But with my luck he probably had the entire thing planned out: big fancy hotel in a foreign country and the most I'd get to see of it would be out the balcony window while he slept. He seemed like one of those guys who would be more interested in what would happen in the bed rather than outside, spending time together.

"Well, I certainly hope it's worth it," I laughed.

An hour into the party, my mother pulled me away from James while he was showing me off to a few of his colleagues.

"Isabella, I need to introduce you to a few people who might be able to help with the plans for the wedding," she said, dragging me off to a different part of the house.

"Mother, I thought we agreed no planning for a while," I hissed while pleasantly smiling as people greeted me.

"Oh, honey, you didn't mean that," she said. "You and James are doing wonderfully and there's no reason to put if off."

I cringed. I really hoped Edward knew what he was doing with that plan of his.

By midnight, most of the guests were pleasantly buzzed. I'd been staying clear of the drinks, choosing instead to sneak small glasses of water from Maria. My parents were definitely drunk since they knew they weren't going anywhere and I made sure to avoid them and any awkward situations that would come with it.

James made a big show of saying goodbye around twelve-thirty. He moved in to kiss me, but I turned my head so that his lips met my cheek. I blamed it on his breath; he'd been drinking a bit. He didn't seem too offended and left.

As soon as he was gone and everyone else went back to their conversations, I booked it upstairs, grabbing my cell phone and dialing as soon as I could.

"Hey Bella," Edward answered after the second ring.

"Hey," I said, absently looking around the room for something to clean my cheek with.

"Are you okay? You sound distracted," he said cautiously. "You can call me back later if you need to, you know."

"No, I'm fine. I'm just looking for something."

"Okay. Well, how did the party go?"

"Ugh, horrible. Everyone was asking about wedding plans and James was parading me around like a thoroughbred," I grumbled. "Aw, screw it, I'm going to the bathroom and using soap," I stated when I gave up on searching.

"And why, may I ask do you need soap that badly?" Edward asked, sounding amused.

"James kissed my cheek," I said with a shudder. "He went for my lips, but thank god for him being drunk. I turned my head and he only got my cheek. But still…. I need to wash my cheek now." Edward burst out laughing on the other end of the line. I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah, well, I'd rather not have him be the one kissing me goodnight."

"Oh, Bella… you don't see the humor in the fact that you want to wash your fiancé's kiss off your cheek?" he said. "It just sounds so wrong."

"Well, apparently so is my notion of not wanting to marry him," I grumbled, pulling a washcloth out of the closet. "My mother says that James and I seem to be getting along splendidly, so we don't need to put off the wedding plans anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said quietly.

I soaked the cloth and rubbed some soap off before scrubbing my cheek. I made sure the phone wasn't near the water, but I didn't say anything.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Edward asked, still in the same quiet tone.

I sighed, putting down the washcloth and drying my face. It felt infinitely cleaner. "No, I don't," I answered. "It'll only make it worse and I don't want to end up crying tonight."

"Alright, then. We need to stay completely away from anything that will make you cry," he said. He was trying to sound upbeat, but I could tell it was a little forced.

I knew I shouldn't have told him that we were continuing with the wedding plans. But I couldn't lie to him. Aren't relationships supposed to be all about honesty? I needed that with Edward.

Of course, he didn't know that I was willing to start a relationship with him yet. I needed to take it slow and I would make it official when I was ready. I needed this on my terms for once.

"So, Jasper says you have a plan to get rid of James," I said, knowing that he would be distracted.

"Oh, no. You're not getting it out of me," he said with a laugh. "Wait, _he_ didn't tell you, did he? I specifically told him no-" I chuckled and he stopped abruptly. He continued after a few seconds. "You knew I told him not to tell, didn't you?"

"Yep," I replied cheerfully.

"And you knew I would react like that, didn't you?"

"Yep. Well, not exactly like that, but close enough."

Edward paused again. "You're sneaky, Bella Swan."

"Why, thank you. I'm glad to know it's worked to my advantage."

"And at my expense," he sighed dramatically. We both burst out laughing.

I lay on my bed, smiling. Neither of us said anything for a while, but it didn't matter. I knew he was still on the line and it never really matter how much we said. It was a while before either of us said anything.

"So, I'm going to see my aunt and uncle next week," Edward said quietly.

"I thought you didn't really talk to them," I said, confused.

"I don't, but I wanted to change that," he explained. "Emmett asks me to their weekly dinner every time, but I haven't agreed since I left. Until yesterday that is."

"That's wonderful, Edward," I said.

"Yeah, I'm just worried, though," he said.

"Why? They're your family. It's not like you're going up against the Minotaur."

"But I walked out on them, Bella. I ignored everything they ever tried to tell me and threw it in their faces when I started the drugs and more so when I left." He sounded miserable, his voice trembling. His tone rang with remorse and apology. I wished that I could be there with him, to comfort him. "They deserve more than me. They don't deserve a reformed drug addict."

"Don't say that, Edward," I said forcefully. "You're more than that. You're a wonderful person, dedicated to your work for more than the money. You quit doing drugs because you wanted to. Emmett clearly still loves you. I've heard you say that your aunt and uncle are loving people. If that's true, I guarantee that they will be overjoyed to see you."

"Thank you, Bella," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice and I was glad that I could help him. "That was exactly what I needed. I don't believe half of it, but I still needed to hear it."

"I'm always here to help, Edward," I said.

The rest of our conversation was much lighter. I told him that I was avoiding going to the shop because Rosalie wanted to give me a piercing. He assured me that it was nothing, but I just didn't think I could handle it.

Edward talked about what he was doing to his apartment to make it look lived in. The one time I went in, it struck me as a sparse, temporary space. It surprised me that he had lived there since he dropped out of college.

He had started with pulling out pictures. He decided it might be better for him to keep the change if he had more life in his apartment and the pictures from his childhood helped. He even found a few to use as blackmail for Emmett.

"There is one person that I'm missing, though," he said casually.

"Who, Rose?" I asked, confused.

"No, Emmett made sure of that as soon as he figured out what I was doing," Edward sighed. "I now have more pictures of the two of them than I ever needed. Rose assured me they were doubles."

"Then who? You've got some of your entire family. Is there an old friend of yours that you haven't mentioned? An old girlfriend maybe?" I bit my lip as I asked the last part, internally arguing whether or not I really wanted to know.

He sighed, "No, Bella. I don't have a picture of _you_."

"Oh," I said, stunned.

It shouldn't have surprised me that he would ask for one of me. He constantly reminded me – without saying it, of course – that he loved me. This was just another way to show that.

So why was I surprised?

"Um, well, I'll see what I can do, but I can't guarantee anything," I continued. "Most of the recent pictures are posed with James or the other losers my loving mother has posed me with. Then we get into school pictures in the awkward years and you're not getting anywhere _near_ those. You would want to claw your eyes out."

"I highly doubt that," Edward said with a small laugh. He'd tried to contain it, but it hadn't worked.

"The only real acceptable pictures of me are from when I was nine or younger. There are more candids and I actually look happy in most of them," I continued, ignoring his comment. "Those pictures sometimes have Jasper or Alice in them, but typically both."

"Well, I'll take whatever you'll give me," he said. "But I'd prefer one of you now with no one else in the picture."

"Aw, why? You don't want to see me with buck teeth and splashing in the kiddie pool?"

"I never said that," he laughed. "I'd like to see you in every stage of your life. Including the awkward teen years. But if I had a choice, I would like to have a picture of you now. If only so I can see your beautiful face every day."

I blushed at that. Even over the phone, he still managed to disarm me. It was unnerving, but I liked it. And it scared the crap out of me.

Yet another reason to take it slowly.

"Well, you'll see my beautiful face when we go clubbing," I said, trying to act nonchalant while I threw his words back in his face. "But for now, I need to go hope for sleep. Or at least drown out the loud, embarrassing, drunk sex my parents are sure to have when all the guests leave," I sighed. "I'll talk to you later, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella," he said sweetly. "And I'd suggest an investment in ear plugs."

I hung up the phone with a sigh, but I was still smiling. Talking to Edward always managed to cheer me up. And I was glad that he was finally reconnecting with his family.

He was always so happy when he was talking about his family. Esme and Carlisle were like second parents to him, even before he lost his parents. Edward spoke very highly of them. He adored Esme and admired Carlisle.

His leaving them hurt him more than he cared to admit. I noticed that he visibly tensed whenever the subject came up, but his eyes always shone with respect. That led me to believe that he did regret leaving.

My thoughts were interrupted when Alice burst into the room, giggling like a lunatic. She staggered over to the bed as I looked at her, confused. She fell onto the bed with me, still giggling.

"Oh, Bella!" she said in a sing-song voice. I was surprised she wasn't hiccupping every few seconds. "You know what you need? You need a good _fuck_. Not just a good lay, that won't do. No, you need a real man, not a pencil dick like James. I can't even believe he's related to Jazz. But Edward? He looks _built_. Oh, I'm sure you'd get a good, hard _fucking_ from that boy. Whew, if I wasn't made for Jazz, well, I'd go right over there and-"

I jumped off the bed, startling her enough to stop talking. She cocked her head, trying to figure out what I was doing as I ran to my door. I whipped it open and looked both ways down the hall. There was no one there, but the bathroom door was open.

"Jasper Whitlock! I know you're up here!" I yelled. "You're supposed to be keeping tabs on your drunk wife!"

Jasper did have a tendency to shirk his duties on that front when Alice got drunk. He settled for having me deal with her until I came at him, yelling and screaming, for him to do his job.

There was still no movement, so I figured I'd up the ante. No use in not bringing out all the ammo at this point.

"Fine, then I guess you'll never know why she's planning on screwing another man," I said casually.

I had just turned back into my room to see Alice covering her mouth to stop the giggles – she'd clearly enjoyed my threat – when Jasper came rushing past me. He scooped his wife off the bed, grumbling incoherently. He paused on the way out of my room to kiss my forehead.

"Bye Bella. I need to go deal with my wife," he said, clearly agitated. "She'll call you tomorrow."

I was once again alone in my room. I changed into my pajamas and threw my hair into a bun unceremoniously. Before I knew it, I was asleep, oblivious to anything around me.

_I skipped into New Moon Pizza happily, maybe more happily than ever before. It was a little unnerving._

_My gaze was fixed on Edward sitting at our usual table in the back of the restaurant. But as I approached, it morphed into a darker, cozier, more romantic atmosphere. I sensed that my clothes had changed as well, and I looked down to see an elegant black gown._

_Edward stood up and met me halfway. He was wearing a suit that fit him perfectly. It was black, perfectly tailored ensemble with thin, white pinstripes running the length of the jacket and the pants. He looked breathtaking._

_He took my hand and turned me around slowly to get the full effect of my dress. When I was facing him again, he slipped his arms around me and pulled me flush against his body. It was easy to feel just how much this dress affected him._

"_You look ravishing, my Bella," he said in a low, husky voice. His tone sent shivers through my body, straight between my legs, and I was melting in his arms._

"_Your outfit suits you," I answered lamely when I regained my breath._

"_It should," he said with a chuckle. "It is a suit after all."_

"_Shut up and kiss me, please," I said weakly. I was sick of playing. I wanted him and I'd be damned if I couldn't have him._

"_As you wish, Bella," he whispered before he touched his lips to mine._

_The kiss started out gently, but grew more passionate as I parted my lips and sought his tongue with my own._

"_Bella," he groaned. "I need you."_

_He moved his lips from my own, down my neck, to suck at the top of my collarbone. My knees started to give out._

_I was thankful there was no one else in this mysterious restaurant._

"_Edward," I moaned. "Take me. I'm yours. Please…"_

"_God, Bella," he panted._

_He scooped me up and set me on the table. Edward's eyes found mine, reflecting a dark lust I'd never seen on his face before. It made me tremble in anticipation._

_I felt his hand start inching its way slowly up my leg. It was up to the middle of my thigh when my breath hitched and I realized exactly what he was doing. My hands knotted in his hair and I moaned softly._

"_Bella, beautiful Bella," he crooned. "Let me do this for you. Let me make you feel good…"_

_His voice faded…_

…and I sat up abruptly in my own room, panting like a moron with a throbbing ache between my thighs. It took me a second to fully register what happened.

I'd had a sex dream. Well, an _arousing_ dream at best. My underwear was soaked and my heart was racing, but I'd woken up before I'd gotten off.

Now all I could see was my mind's interpretation of what an aroused Edward would look like, kneeling in front of me with every intention of giving me the best – first – orgasm of my life.

I groaned and fell back on my pillow because I knew that if I saw that look now, there was no way I could stop him.

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**AN: There you have it. Bella's losing confidence is her plan already. It's kind of sad. And don't worry, she _will_ get around to telling Edward that she loves him. You just have to wait a while. :)**

**Next chapter: Edward goes to talk to someone about James and (at least) the beginning of the club scene. We'll see how well Bella keeps to her plan.**

**Please, please, please review! I'm not above begging. I really do want to know what you guys think. Also, if you are curious as to the inspiration for the sketch Edward gave Bella, I'm posting a link on my profile. Be sure to check it out. I'm not sure when I'll get to update again, what with college starting next week, but I will try to make it as soon as I can. :)**

**-Kaylee**


	9. The Fixer

**AN: Less than a month! Better than I expected. I am really sorry it took this long though. Hopefully the next one won't take as long now that I'm settled in at college. I also want to say thank you to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, who was able to do this while recovering from being sick. She's awesome. Also, the title of this chapter comes from the song _The Fixer_ by Pearl Jam. I thought it fit Edward well with him trying to fix everything so that he can be with Bella.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I do own a Bible that I feel really weird highlighting during class, though....**

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**Chapter 8 – The Fixer**

EPOV

"Edward, you know you're going," Emmett said matter-of-factly.

"No shit, Sherlock," I grumbled, running my fingers through my hair; it was already a mess from doing that a hundred times.

"If you know, then why the hell are you pacing a hole in the floor?"

He really was oblivious.

"Emmett, you've seen how I am around Bella on a normal day. Now put her in tighter clothing and a dark, crowded room and pump music that is specifically meant to make people want to fuck one another through the speakers and then tell me how the fuck I'm supposed to be able to resist her," I explained.

My cousin thought about it for a minute. "Yeah, I guess I can see your point," he said. "Maybe it's just time to give up resisting her."

"I can't do that, Em. I can't force her into it."

He hopped off the countertop where he'd perched himself despite my protests and stole a piece of fruit. "Well, you've got a few more days to decide," he said, polishing the apple with the hem of his shirt. "We're going on Saturday by order of the midget."

"Yeah, I'll be there," I sighed. "You know I will."

Emmett put his hand on my shoulder and added cheerily, "And just think: Bella will probably be in the hottest outfit you've ever seen her in. How can that possibly suck for you?"

And with that, he happily bounded out of my apartment, already on his way to see Rose. Sometimes I wondered how he could be related to me.

I sighed and flopped onto the couch. It seemed inevitable that I would end up going to the club with everyone and that I would be subjected to a serious case of blue balls. I was just hoping there would be some way to lessen the blow.

The next day dragged on. It was a slow day at the shop and there was no word from Bella. She had mentioned something about color schemes and invitations the last time I'd talked to her, but I didn't want to think about that.

Instead, I decided to follow Rose and bring a book with me.

"Edward?" Rose asked when she came back from her break. "Are you… reading?

"Yep," I answered, simply, not looking up at her.

"And is that what I think it is?"

"If you think that it's _Pride and Prejudice_, then you'd be correct," I replied.

"Wow," Rose gasped. "You really must be bored." She settled herself into the chair behind the counter and propped her feet up on the glass. "So, is it good?"

"Not sure yet," I said. "But this Darcy guy seems like the biggest ass in the history of the world."

Rosalie smiled. "You're at the part with the dance, aren't you? Just keep reading," she said. "Maybe you'll learn something."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.

"Nothing, jeez…. Don't get so defensive over nothing."

I went back to reading, still confused over what Rose had said, but found myself enjoying the difficulties that the characters found themselves in. By late-afternoon, and with only a few walk-in appointments, I was already done with the book and thoroughly impressed with it.

"So, what did you think?" Rose asked excitedly.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this excited about a book, Rose," I chuckled, evading her question.

"Eddie, it's _Pride and Prejudice_. It's every girl's duty to know and love that book," she stated firmly. "Now answer my question, damn it."

"I liked it," I said with a chuckle. "It reminds me a little too much of my situation, though."

"What Darcy and Whickham?"

"Well, Whickham and Collins combined," I said with a sigh. "Except that Bella doesn't like either version of James."

"Cheer up," Rose said. "You get to see her in a skimpy outfit and grind on her all night. How can that be bad?"

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. "You have no idea," I mumbled.

I heard the doorbell jingle as someone came in, but I didn't even bother to look up.

"Baby, what did you do to Edward?" Emmett's voice carried across the room. "He didn't kill himself, did he?"

Rose laughed. "No, he's just frustrated. He's probably going over all the ways to not jizz his pants while he's dancing with Bella."

"Thanks, Rose," I snapped, finally looking up. "You're so supportive."

"Hey, I gave you enough fantasies to last the week. You owe me."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll take an extra shift next week," I grumbled. "Now, go do whatever you guys do on random weeknights."

"You're coming to dinner with us," Emmett said. I turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Come on, you haven't been to a restaurant for god knows how long without Bella."

"Fine, but I'm not paying," I said.

"I still owe you for the groceries, so whatever," Emmett said with a shrug.

Dinner was nice. We went to a small restaurant near the edge of town and just talked like a normal family at mealtimes. It felt wonderful to have that feeling back. There was still an ache in my chest at not being able to share in this with my parents, but it was comforting at the same time. There were people who cared that I was eating right and not holing myself in my room. The feeling of belonging to the world again was remarkable, but there was still something missing.

_If only Bella could be here_, I thought.

"Hey, Edward?" Emmett said when we were finishing our entrees. I looked up at him in response. "You know how we were planning to get together for dinner at Mom and Dad's this week?"

"Yeah, why? Did something happen?" My mind instantly jumped to the worst conclusion. I couldn't go through that again.

"No, nothing bad," my cousin was quick to assure me. "Dad just had a last minute conference to go to. We're just pushing it out to next week. Maybe Sunday brunch or something."

I let out a small sigh of relief. "Yeah, that's fine. My schedule's free except for work and that's flexible."

"I'll let you know after I talk to them then," Emmett said with a smile. "They'll be happy you're still coming."

I groaned and let my head fall back. I still felt horrible about not talking to them for so long. Esme and Carlisle had always been perfect to me and I'd let them down, time and again. It kept getting worse, despite the fact that I knew what I was doing. I regretted hurting them, but I couldn't face them while I was screwed up. They deserved more than a screwed up, orphaned, broken nephew.

"What do I say to them?" I whispered, more to myself than to Emmett or Rose. "How can I apologize for all the shit I've put them through?"

"They still love you, Edward." It was Rose who spoke this time. "They always ask me to keep an eye on you and let them know how you're doing. They want you to be healthy and happy. They were overjoyed to hear how well you've been doing." She put a hand on my shoulder and smiled. "You still deserve to have a loving family."

"Thanks, Rose," I said quietly. "But I don't know…"

"Ed, man… you need to stop wallowing," Emmett interjected. "You're still a part of this family, so you damn well better get used to the idea."

"Thanks, Emmett," I said with a smile.

Emmett and Rose dropped me off at my apartment and reminded me that they would pick me up on Saturday to go to the club. Apparently Alice didn't trust me to show up if I didn't have escorts.

I was lounging on my couch and flipping through the James files again when Bella called that night.

"Hey," I said with a smile.

"Well, don't you sound cheery," she said with a giggle.

"I've got a great person to talk to; why wouldn't I be cheery?"

"Yeah, don't push it," she said. "You wouldn't want to lose your dance partner for this weekend, would you?"

I gasped in mock astonishment. "Are you really threatening to leave me dateless? That's just plain mean, Bella."

"Aw, you know I have to go. Alice won't let me out of it," she said.

"The little spitfire hired escorts for me to make sure I get there," I grumbled.

"She bribed Emmett with beer," Bella confessed.

"That bastard sold his soul for beer?" I said with a gasp. "That better be fucking good beer."

"Edward, I thought you wanted to go," she asked, a little confused.

I sighed, "I just don't want to be forced into it like a five year old to a school function."

"They just don't want you to miss out," she explained. "Plus, I don't want to be stuck along with them."

I chuckled softly. "I will be there to keep you company. Even if it means dragging you off to dance for every song."

I heard her breath catch and I couldn't tell what that meant. "Edward, I don't know if I can handle every song. I might spontaneously combust."

I smiled even though she couldn't see me. "Then we'll have to make sure you stay cool, that's all."

"And all this dancing is supposed to have no effect on you whatsoever?" Bella shot back.

She was feisty when she was riled. Images of how that could translate to other situations jumped to mind immediately. The flood of emotions settled enticingly in my lower extremities. So much for no blue balls…

"Believe me, Bella. I can't even _talk_ to you without having some sort of reaction," I answered honestly. I was still following Rosalie's advice and reminding Bella of what she meant to me. Granted, it wasn't the best way to bring it up, but it was still a reminder.

Her breathing got heavier. I could tell she was trying to hide it, but it wasn't working.

"Edward, can I ask you a favor?" she said timidly.

"Of course, Bella. Anything," I replied.

"On Saturday, can you wear those dark wash jeans and one of your vintage band tees? I know Rose is going to try to get you into something nicer, but-"

"That sounds perfect, Bella," I said honestly. Not only would I not have to worry about Rosalie torturing me, but I knew that Bella would like what I wore. "But why?"

"I want to make sure we can find you if you get there before us," she said. It sounded like a rehearsed explanation, but I let it go. I could use it to my advantage, so why should I question it?

"And what if you get there first?" I asked. "What will you be wearing?"

She hadn't expected that.

"We-well, um… you know, I'm not really…" she fumbled for the right words. "How about I tell you when I know."

I smiled. I would take any excuse to talk to her. "Sounds like a plan."

"Well, I should get going," she said sadly. "But I will call you when I know."

"Okay, Bella. And don't worry about it too much. You'll look beautiful in anything."

"Goodnight Edward," she said in a teasing huff.

I chuckled, "Sweet dreams, Bella."

I went to bed that night with a smile plastered on my face.

The shop was slow again the next day and I found myself flipping through James' files again. One of them kept drawing my eye.

Victoria was apparently one of his ex-girlfriends. She accused him of domestic abuse almost two years before. He had severely beaten her when she refused to have sex with him one night. She had been trying to avoid telling him that she was pregnant and was afraid it would slip out in the heat of the moment. She said James had threatened to kill her if she didn't sleep with him, but somehow the charges were dropped.

Her number was listed near the bottom.

I stared at it for a full minute before I was able to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" a panting voice said after the third ring.

"Hi, is this Victoria Stryder?" I said cautiously.

"Yes, who is this?"

"You don't know me, but I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about James Whitlock?" There was a strong possibility that she would hang up on me, but I was hoping that it wouldn't come to that.

She didn't hang up, but she definitely wasn't polite. "Listen, whoever you are, I don't know what you know about between me and that son of a bitch, but you don't know anything. So you can take your questions and shove them up your-"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Stryder," I interrupted. "I didn't want to bring up back unwanted memories, but I hope you will hear me out."

Victoria stopped her ranting and hesitated before continuing. "Why do you want to know?" she asked slowly.

"The woman I love is being forced into a marriage with him," I started. "She doesn't love him, but she can't figure out a way to get out of it. I need to prove to her parents that she wouldn't be safe with him. I got your information from a series of cases filed against him and I thought it might be a good place to start. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, but I swear it was not my intention."

There was another pause and I thought I could hear a sob in the background. Victoria sighed through the line. "Look, sir-"

"Edward," I supplied.

"Edward, that time in my life isn't one that I enjoy looking back on," she started. "But I understand why you're doing this. It isn't something to do over the phone, though. Would you be willing to meet me at a café downtown?"

"Of course," I said. I was stunned that she agreed so easily. She really must have been a hopeless romantic at heart. "There is a small bistro on East Street, if that would be convenient for you."

"That sounds fine," she said. "It will have to be after two in the afternoon. Riley doesn't get up until one-thirty and then I need to get him ready…"

"I can work with whatever time will be best for you," I said. "I have a very flexible schedule."

"Then I guess I will see you there tomorrow, unless that's not enough notice."

"Tomorrow is fine," I said, not wanting her to change her mind if I hesitated. "Thank you for doing this."

"You're welcome. I hope it's worth it."

I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. I was one step closer to getting James out of the way.

"Are you okay, Edward?" Pete asked. I hadn't even realized he was up front with me.

I looked over at him. "Yeah, why? What's up?"

"Nothing… you just got this really weird look on your face for a minute," he said. "You know that manic grin that cartoon villains sometimes get on their faces? It looked a lot like that."

"Just as long as he doesn't start hiding away in a laboratory underground somewhere," Rose said from behind me. I turned and glared at her, but she just ruffled my hair and went to finish up with a customer.

I spent the night trying to figure out to the best way to go about the interview with Victoria the next day. There was no good way to ask a woman about the worst experience in her life like that. She would probably hate me for that alone, but I needed this.

_Bella_ needed this, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

As if she could tell that I was worrying, Bella called me.

"Hey," she said cheerily.

"Hi," I said with a sigh. I didn't bother hiding my agitated state.

"What's up, Mr. Grumpy Gills?"

"Only you would quote Disney movies at a time like this," I said, managing a small laugh. Then I sighed again. "I'm just worried."

"Worried? About what?" She suddenly sounded more attentive, like she was doing something beforehand but she'd stopped to give her full attention to the conversation.

"Just a part of my plan, Bella," I said, trying to keep her from overreacting. "It's not a big deal; I'm just not sure if I'll get out of this with my balls intact."

Her laughter rang through my ears and calmed my body down. I sat on the couch, a smile playing at my lips.

"Edward, if any man can get out of a situation with his balls intact, it better be you," she said. "Those self-defense classes you gave me better have done something for you at some point. Unless of course whatever this is entails going to prison or something. Then there's nothing I can do."

"I'm not going to prison, Bella. At least I hope not…"

"Can you at least tell me about it? Any little hint?" she begged.

I thought about it for a minute. She deserved to know something at least. I could tell her enough to get her by without actually telling her anything.

"Well, I'm going to talk to someone about their interactions with James in the past. However, it isn't something they like to talk about on a regular basis," I said. "So, if I say anything out of turn, there is a distinct possibility that I may be missing a vital extremity the next time I see you."

"Then don't you dare say anything out of turn," Bella said. "You're going to make some girl insanely happy with that extremity some day."

_I hope you will be that girl, Bella_, I thought. I came very close to actually saying it, but I didn't want her to push me away again.

"I'll make sure to wear a cup if you're so worried," I said, trying to make a joke out of it.

"Please do," she said. I could hear the smile in her voice. "I guess I should let you get back to preparing for your plan. I hope to see you fully intact on Saturday. Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella," I chuckled. "Sweet dreams."

I decided to just go to sleep at that point. Having her voice be the last thing I heard made sleep come remarkably fast.

Rose was fine with me taking the majority of the day off. "Go play cop. Nothing could possibly happen here while you're gone," were her exact words.

It was hard to walk away with a straight face while she was laughing at my expense.

I got to the café about ten minutes before Victoria was due to get there. I found a table by the window and sat with my mug of straight, black coffee while I waited. Coffee probably wasn't the smartest thing to have while I was already jittery, but it was all I could stomach.

Ten minutes later, I saw a frazzled woman with flaming red hair come in, toting a toddler and large diaper bag that was almost bigger than the child. She couldn't be more than a year or two older than myself, but I knew it had to be Victoria.

I cautiously got up and walked over to her. She was scanning the room, obviously looking for someone.

"Victoria Stryder?" I asked cautiously. Her head whipped in my direction and her eyes inspected me.

"Edward?" she asked. I nodded. She visibly relaxed. "Oh, thank god. I thought you were going to be some crazy biker guy with a deceptive voice. But you're just like any other rebel college kid. Would you mind holding the bag for a minute? Riley won't stop fussing," she said, tossing the diaper bag in my direction.

"Uh, sure, I guess," I sputtered as she readjusted the child on her hip. He was a tiny thing, maybe eighteen months old, with shining blue eyes – Whitlock eyes – and bright red hair sticking out everywhere. He tugged at his mother's sleeve while pointing at me. I smiled at him as gently and genuinely as I could and he giggled.

Victoria stopped what she was doing when she heard her son and smiled. She looked at me happily. "He likes you," she said. "He doesn't usually like anyone this quickly."

I shrugged and ran a hand through my hair, embarrassed. "I suppose I'm just good with kids?" I guessed.

She chuckled. "No one is that good with kids," she said. "I think it's the hair. You match."

I felt better now that the ice had been broken. It was a little less awkward as we made our way back over to the table I had snagged. Riley managed to wriggle his way out of Victoria's grasp as she searched for something in the diaper bag, but I wrapped my arm around his stomach before he got too far and set him on my lap. I was surprised when he just giggled and squealed in delight.

Victoria was still smiling when she pulled out a small sippy-cup for her son. She didn't even try to take him from me.

"So, what exactly did you want to talk about today?" she finally asked.

"Well," I started hesitantly, focusing on Riley and his strange, fumbling drinking habits. "I really wanted to focus on why the case was dropped, but any information you are willing to give me would be amazing."

Victoria sighed. "The first part is actually really easy, but not something I'm proud of," she said. "He offered to open an account with a starting value of two hundred thousand dollars to fund Riley's college education. James always knew exactly how to get me to cave. I think it was his God-given talent."

"You dropped it to pay for your son's education," I said, just wanting to clarify that I'd heard correctly. I didn't mean it to sound bad, but she took it to mean that I was judging her.

"Look, I know it's not a good thing. He basically just bribed me. But I knew I was going to be a single mother. A single mother working as a bank teller during the day and waitressing three nights a week will never be able to pay for a good college education for her son," she said, trying to explain something that already made sense to me. "I needed this for him."

"I understand, Victoria," I said, hoping to reassure her. "You want what's best for your son, especially when his father is a psychopathic moron with absolutely no moral standing. I get that. But at the same time, was it worth it? Could you walk away after dropping the charges and feel satisfied that all you got was your son's education?"

The thought bugged me. I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that anyone could feel satisfied in knowing that the one that they were accusing would just walk away with nothing. It didn't sit well in my mind.

She looked down at the table, absently playing with one of the straps on the diaper bag. I silently handed her son back to her. Victoria took Riley back gratefully, sighing as he cooed and snuggled into her side.

"I still have nightmares about the things he did to me," she said quietly. She was lightly combing through her son's hair. "I hated every second of it. But knowing that he wouldn't come after me if I dropped it—that he wouldn't come after Riley—was a chance I had to take."

I nodded. I still didn't fully comprehend, but I understood the principles behind her decision. She wanted her son to be safe. Nothing mattered beyond that. It didn't matter what happened to her.

"I think I understand," I said. She just nodded and smiled down at her drooling bundle of joy. "Would you mind telling me more about what exactly happened between you and James?"

Victoria looked up at me, but her arms tightened around Riley. It suddenly made sense why she wanted him with her. He was her security blanket for this discussion.

"I met him while I was waitressing one night three years ago," she said. Her voice was almost hollow, like she couldn't be engaged in the story. "He came back every night for a week and sat in the same spot before he asked me out. He was the most attentive boyfriend I'd ever had. Always looking out for me, asking my opinion, making sure I wasn't cold….

"The first time he hit me was after a stressful day at work. He took me out to the movies and I forgot my coat. He smacked me across the face and called me a forgetful whore because now all the guys in the theater could see that I'd dressed up," she continued.

Here she paused to move Riley and keep him from falling off her lap. He was still having a grand old time, completely oblivious to his mother's discomfort with the situation. Victoria's expression softened as she looked at her son and I sensed that only one good thing came from her time with James.

"I found out I was pregnant just over two years ago now. I couldn't tell him right away, but I was doing everything I could to keep James happy," she said. "I didn't want to give him a reason to hurt my baby. It came out one morning when I locked myself in the bathroom to keep him from seeing me throw up. He realized what was going on and tried to beat it out of me. He threw me out of the apartment without anything. I managed to get myself to a hospital to make sure the baby was okay." She looked down at Riley again and smoothed his hair down as the boy flipped over his cup, clearly fascinated that the drink wasn't coming out. "He ended up coming three weeks early, but he's healthy as a horse. I couldn't ask for a better gift from God."

I watched the mother and son interact for a few moments after Victoria finished what she had to say. She clearly loved Riley more than anything in the world.

The boy held up his cup to show his mother, a lock of hair falling into his face. She chuckled and fixed his hair, urging him to keep drinking. He just kept shaking it and enjoying himself. Victoria was shaking her head, but smiling.

"You make a great mother," I commented.

She blushed, but looked up at me again. "I just know what he needs, I guess," she said.

"Well, whatever you do seems to work. You're a natural."

"Thank you, Edward," she said. "You know, I think this has actually been good for me. You've made me realize that I can't keep living in the past. I need to move on and raise my son to never be like his father."

I smiled sweetly at her and nodded. "Glad to be of service," I said.

We spent a few more minutes in the café, mainly fawning over the adorable toddler, but also discussing different random things to pass the time. Riley climbed off Victoria's lap at one point and catapulted himself at me. I chuckled and lifted him up, gently tossing him before handing him back to his mother. He giggled and clapped, begging me to do it again. I obliged once as we walked out of the café.

"It was nice meeting you," Victoria said as she took her son back in her arms.

"The pleasure was mine," I said with a smile.

"Whoever this girl is that you love, I hope she appreciates what you're doing for her," she said. "If not, it won't be worth it."

"Thank you," I said. "But I think she does know. She just can't let herself admit it yet."

"Well, good luck with everything."

"You as well. I hope he grows up like his mother."

She blushed and we finished our goodbyes. It had gone better than I could have ever expected. Not only did I now have more information on James, but I also had concrete proof against him. Maybe this would be easier than I thought.

"So how'd it go?" Rose said, practically jumping on me when I returned to Twilight. I raised an eyebrow at her, shocked by her interest, and pushed passed her into the shop. "Come on! Tell me. It's been dead here today. I sent Pete home an hour ago. I need _something_."

"You didn't call Emmett?"

"He's no fun at work," she pouted. "And he refuses to let me see him in the jumpsuit for fear that I'll never let him leave the bedroom again."

"Really, Rose? I'm back for two seconds and you're already telling me about your crazy fantasies? God…" I said, shaking my head.

"Will you please tell me what happened?" Rose said. She sat down behind the counter. "Was she nice? Did she try to rip your head off when you started asking questions? Did you get any answers?"

"Slow down, Rosalie," I said with a chuckle. "She was very nice. And her son was adorable, almost Haley Joel Osment in _Forrest Gump_ level adorable."

Rose's expression softened. She had a soft spot for kids and I knew she was just waiting for the day when she could start a family with Emmett.

I told her everything that happened, from the unconventional icebreaker to the hope that Bella would understand everything I was doing. I could tell Rosalie agreed that nothing could have gone better.

"I don't think you could have gotten anything more perfect," she said. "You know that the next few meetings are going to give you some trouble, right?"

"Well, I'm hoping that when I mention the reason I'm asking is because I love Bella they will all feel the same way Victoria did," I said, not seeing an issue with my logic.

"Edward," she said, putting a hand on my shoulder, "For a guy who's been through all the shit that you've been through, you're incredibly naïve. Some of those girls had their lives ruined because of James. They won't want to talk to you. You got lucky because of that kid."

I stopped to let those words sink in. She was right. Why was I willing to make them relive the worst experiences of their lives just so that I could have the woman of my dreams? It seemed incredibly unfair.

But I had to try.

Bella's happiness meant much more to me than anything else and I was willing to do this for her.

"I need to do this, Rose," I said, staring at her, trying to make her back down. "Bella needs this."

"No, she just needs out of her engagement. You just need to hope she'll _want_ you," Rose corrected.

I avoided doing anything else toward my impromptu investigations against James after our conversation. I didn't want to rush into everything and make a mistake. It was better to spread the meetings out a little and not make anything look too suspicious in case James noticed what I was doing.

When Saturday rolled around, I was anxious to see Bella. I talked to her briefly on Thursday night about what she would wear. She said that Alice had found the perfect thing out shopping and told Bella that she just had to wear it. Bella didn't even know what it looked like. It had taken every ounce of energy to get Alice to even admit that it was a shade of blue that "would go perfectly with her eyes and make Edward want to drag her off into some dark corner."

That last tidbit of information had come from Jasper, not Bella. She would never admit to hearing that.

But I was intrigued. Just thinking of all the possibilities was making it hard to even think about the upcoming night out without my pants tightening. The fact that I would have even the slightest chance of dancing with Bella was not helping me get rid of the hard-on, either.

We planned to meet outside Club Skunk at nine, but Rosalie showed her face at my apartment promptly at six-thirty.

"Come on, into the shower with you," she said, pushing me back toward my bedroom not two seconds after I let her in.

"I showered two hours ago, Rose," I protested.

"I don't care. You've probably been pacing around here, wearing a hole in your floor, trying to get rid of your Bella-induced haze which means you probably work up a sweat," she said. "Therefore, shower time."

She was right, but I'd never admit it. Damn that woman and her accurate ways of reading people.

As soon as I got out of the shower, I could hear her rummaging around in my closet. Thankfully, I'd already set aside the clothes Bella requested, so it was time to burst Rose's bubble.

"Hey, Rosalie?"

"What, Edward? I'm in the middle of finding you the perfect outfit. I need to concentrate. So shut up."

"Uh, Rose, I already know what I'm going to wear."

She whipped around to face me, shocked. "What? How?"

I didn't even bothering answering her, I just showed her what Bella had requested. Rose looked over it carefully before meeting my eyes.

"You didn't pick this," she accused.

"I never said I did," I answered honestly.

"Who did you ask? Alice?"

"I didn't ask anyone."

Rose scowled and looked down at the outfit again before understanding brightened her expression.

"Old school high tops?" she asked. "The plain black and white ones?"

"Yeah, they kind of go, don't they?" I asked hesitantly.

Rose shook her head. "Bella…. Of course she would go with the vintage look."

"Is there a problem with that?" My tone was a little harsher than I intended and Rose noticed.

"Nooo…. Though you might want to back off a bit there, lover boy. I don't know if she's that kinky."

I groaned. "Rose, I don't need that. Not now. And, frankly, not ever coming from you. You're like my sister."

She smiled up at me and kissed my cheek. "It distracted you. Therefore my job is done," she said. "Get dressed. Emmett will be here soon."

"Rose, it's not even eight," I said. "Why so early?"

"Because we're getting there first." I stared at her blankly, not understanding what was going through her head. "Look, Bella requested that outfit so she would know what to look for, right?" I nodded. "Well, then we let her look for you. For once, we let her chase you. See where I'm going with this?"

I nodded, but I would be lying if I said I really understood. It seemed illogical to force Bella into something that she clearly didn't want, like chasing me. I followed her around like a lost puppy and there was no problem with that, so far. But she never chased me. It seemed backwards.

Rose left me alone to change and I put in one of the mix CDs Bella had made for me. It happened to be the one that she'd given me the night I told her about my parents. I skipped right to my mother's favorite song and let the notes wash over me.

To anyone else, it was simply a cute little number that they had turned into a Fantasia cartoon. To me, Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 was what I grew up with. My mother used that for all the mock swordfights I had with Emmett while pretending to be Peter Pan. It was the soundtrack to many Saturday mornings doing mindless chores around the house.

It was also the one thing guaranteed to connect both my old life – my childhood spent with my parents – with my new life, one I was hoping to spend with Bella.

I dressed quickly after I realized that I was daydreaming. By the time the song was over, my thoughts were no longer innocent, no longer pure. The music now had no effect.

My mind was sufficiently sucked into techno, hip-hop, and rap. Images of Bella gyrating to the beat danced across my mind as I tried to keep my reactions at bay.

Nine o'clock couldn't come fast enough.

Emmett was sitting on my couch when I came out. He was camped out, watching some car show and critiquing every little thing they did.

"Where's Rose?" I asked.

"Getting ready. She told me to tell you not to sit down-" I stopped in mid-squat, about to sit next to him on the couch, "- and that you can't get your clothes dirty. And if you do, she will tell Bella exactly how much you were obsessing over this shit tonight."

I groaned and stood up. "Sometimes her rules go a little over the top," I complained.

Emmett just shrugged and looked back at the TV. "Not my problem, man. I will listen to whatever the fuck she says."

"And that, my dear cousin, is what we refer to as whipped," I said.

"And you're not?" he accused.

"How can I be whipped if I'm not in a relationship?"

"You're more of an idiot than I thought," Emmett muttered, shaking his head.

It took a minute for his words to really register in my head.

Was I whipped?

For three years I'd been silently – well, not-so-silently – pining for Bella because she refused to leave her family's way of life. Lately, I'd been doing everything in my power to get her out of a situation that she hated, but saw as inevitable. It was my idea.

That didn't constitute being whipped, did it?

No, of course not.

But I was.

It was the fact that I was there for her whenever she needed. Even if it was inconvenient for me, I was there. I bent to her will. I did everything I could to make her happy.

"Oh good, you didn't ruin your clothes yet," Rose said as she came out of the guest room. She had a bright red silk top that hugged her curves and a pair of white skinny jeans on. Emmett wouldn't leave her side all night.

"No, I didn't. But thanks for the vote of confidence," I grumbled.

"No problem," she said cheerily. "Now, let's get going."

"Rose, it's only eight-fifteen," I noted.

"Yeah, and?"

"And…. Why the hell are we getting there so early?"

"Because, unlike you, some of us have drinking to get to," she said. Rose grabbed my arm and started dragging me out of the apartment. "Now let's go!"

Forty-five minutes later, I was sitting at a small table in the back corner of the seating area at the club, watching my cousin and his girlfriend eye-fuck each other over their drinks. I sighed and sipped my Coke and checked my watch every few seconds, wondering when Bella would get there.

Just after nine, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

_We just pulled up, are you here? –B_

I smiled and quickly typed out a reply.

_Look for the outfit. See you soon. –E_

"Oh, the princess must be here," Rose laughed. She was almost yelling over the music. "Princey's on alert."

"Nah, Edward's not the prince," Emmett retorted loudly. "If anything he's the stable boy who wants to bang the princess."

I scowled at my cousin who was laughing at his own joke. "Fuck you," I said seriously.

"Why are we mad at Emmett?" a beautiful voice said from behind me.

I turned to see Bella, smiling, behind me. She was wearing a dark blue corset adorned with lace paired with a short, denim miniskirt.

I let out a ragged breath as I looked her over. There was no way in hell my pants would ever feel loose again that night. My cock liked that image way too much.

"Edward, are you okay?" she asked, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Yeah," I said, shakily. "I'll be fine."

She could tell I was lying, but she let it go.

As the conversation flowed between everyone – Jasper and Alice had come in with Bella, but I hadn't noticed – my eyes kept going back to the beautiful creature sitting next to me. She looked over at me every once in a while with a smile and I just had to smile back. Once, she happened to look down and she must have noticed the tent in my pants because her smile morphed into a wicked grin.

I was fucked.

* * *

**AN: So, how was it? I would love to know, so please, please, please hit that review button. I got over 10 reviews for the last chapter without really begging (and that is a lot for me, so don't make fun of me for it) including review number 50 - thank you sassy spacey! Also, to one of my anonymous reviewers, I promise the plot is moving forward after this chapter! The last few chapters have really been filler and build up for what's coming, but it really was necessary.**

**Next chapter: The club scene (finally...)! Also, a twist regarding where Bella ends up after a night of dancing and a dream that propels the plot forward.**

**Again, please review! It will make my day. And I hope to have the next chapter out within the next 2-3 weeks, but check my profile from time to time for updates. Thank you for reading! :)**

**-Kaylee**


	10. Might Tell You Tonight Part One

**AN: So, here's another chapter! I know it's a little shorter than the last few but there is a reason. Due to the impending month of November and my participation in National Novel Writing Month, I won't be able to write an update for this story during that time. So what I did was write a longer chapter and chop it into two parts. This update is the first of the two parts. I will put the date when I'll post the second part in the author's note at the bottom.**

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed and added alerts and favorites. And I want to thank my awesome beta once again! Also, the song that I was thinking of while writing both parts of this chapter is _Might Tell You Tonight_ by Scissor Sisters. Go listen to it!**

**Disclaimer: I have nothing creative. I don't own Twilight.**

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**Chapter 9 – Might Tell You Tonight**

BPOV

I stood in front of the full length mirror in Alice's bathroom. Somehow the two of us had convinced my parents that I could stay at Alice and Jasper's for a few days. I was starting to regret that.

"I can't wear this, Ali," I said.

"You look hot, Bella," Alice replied from across the room as she fixed her own makeup. "Edward will shoot his load as soon as he sees you."

"I'm barely wearing _anything_!" I retorted.

"Exactly my point," she smirked.

I looked back at my reflection. The girl – no, woman – who looked back at me was unrecognizable. The blue, lacy corset top and denim miniskirt made her seem more confident. She knew how to handle the stilettos tied with white ribbons. Her pin straight hair was sophisticated. The smoky makeup made it easier for her to play her part.

That wasn't me.

But the thought of Edward reacting favorably…

I moved around a little and I felt the confidence start to rise as I got a feel of the ridiculous heels and the revealing nature of the clothing. A small smile crept across my lips as I thought of Edward's face when he would see me.

"Now that's what I want to see from you!" Alice said, breaking me out of my reverie.

"Shut up," I said, blushing. "Let's just go."

"I'm still not ready yet," Alice said. "Go wait with Jasper, I'll be done soon."

"Fine. Just don't take too long."

I carefully trekked into the living room, taking care not to trip in the heels. Jasper was perched on the edge of one of the couches so as not to ruin his clothes. He had a fairly tight, white cotton T-shirt with a charcoal grey phoenix sketched across half of it. His black pants were snug, but not too tight.

"You look nice," I told him.

He shrugged. "Ali picked it. She usually does. And she did a really good job with you tonight," he said. "Turn around. I want to see the full effect."

I glared at him, but slowly turned, letting him see the outfit. As I came close to facing him again, he let out a low whistle.

"What?"

"If Edward doesn't jump you the second he sees you, then he has more control than any man I've ever met," Jasper said pointedly.

"What is it with everyone assuming that Edward will just crumble in front of me?" I yelled. "It's still me! I'm just… in less clothing. But it's still me. I don't get it!"

"Really, Bella?" Alice chirped, poking her head out of the bedroom. "You should know by now that guys think with their dicks, not their heads.

"Ali!" I said, shocked.

"What? It's true," she said. "Just look at James. I'm not sure there's even a brain behind that thick skull of his." I started to say something else to her, but she just slid back into the room.

"Why did I marry her again?" Jasper asked quietly.

"Because you love her and can't live without her, even if she says the most inappropriate shit?" I suggested.

He sighed and shook his head. "I think you're right," he said. "But sometimes I wonder how she comes up with these things."

It took another half hour for Alice to finally finish and join us in the living room. Jasper's mouth instantly split into a smile when he saw the dress she had on. She must have been making up for something because it seemed like she was attempting to recreate their first date. She had the same cute, flowing red dress that came to her knees that she'd worn when he first formally asked her to dinner when they were seventeen. Of course she still fit into it. I took a look back at Jasper's outfit and smiled. He'd grown out of his original outfit, but Alice came pretty close to getting it right. And judging by the look on his face, she'd already made up for whatever it was she'd done wrong.

"So, are we ready to go now?" I asked, hoping to speed things along.

"Nope," Alice said cheerily, still looking up at Jasper as he pulled her closer to him and wrapped an arm around her waist. "We're not leaving until eight-forty-five."

"What? Alice, that's fifteen minutes away. We'll never be there on time!"

"Don't worry. There's never any traffic then," she said, waving me off.

"And there is now?"

"As a matter of fact, there is. It will lighten up in about ten minutes and then we'll leave."

I sat down on the couch, grumbling and making sure I stayed covered so I didn't give Jasper a show.

True to her word, ten minutes later, Alice was herding us out the door. I looked out at the road.

"Huh, you were right," I noted, surprised. Alice just smiled smugly at me.

There were almost no cars. We were able to make it to Club Skunk in record time, just after the agreed meeting time. As we pulled into the parking lot, I figured I would text Edward to see if he was there with Rose and Emmett already or not.

_We just pulled up, are you here? –B_

His reply was almost instantaneous.

_Look for the outfit. See you soon. –E_

I couldn't contain the smile that was forming on my face. He'd worn the outfit I asked him to. He'd worn it for _me_. Alice saw my face and laughed.

"I guess they're already here," she chirped. She knew the bouncer so she skipped right in, pulling Jasper and I along behind her. "So, where are they? Lead the way," she said to me when we were inside, her voice rising to be heard over the music.

I looked around and realized what a mistake I'd made in the outfit I'd asked Edward to wear. The room was dark, even as strobe lights flashed and spotlights flipped around. There was no way I could possibly find him.

I started walking into the crowd turning every which way for a glimpse of Edward, or even Rosalie and Emmett.

By some stroke of luck, the spotlight passed a table in the back corner of the seating area and shone off Edward's remarkable hair. I immediately grabbed my friends' hands and trudged through the crowd.

It didn't take long before I'd finally reached the table and I dropped Alice and Jasper's hands. And apparently we'd arrived in the middle of a conversation.

"Fuck you," Edward said firmly as he glared at his cousin.

"Why are we mad at Emmett?" I inquired with a smile, knowing that Edward was usually mad at his loveable teddy bear of a cousin.

Edward's head flipped around when he heard my voice. His gaze didn't stay on my face for very long before it slowly took in my state of dress. Well, undress, really. He looked almost like he was in pain by the time his eyes saw my shoes.

"Edward, are you okay?" I asked after a few seconds when he stopped breathing. I waved my hand in front of his face, trying to get a reaction.

His eyes finally found mine again. Rather quickly, I might add. "Yeah. I'll be fine," he said. The shakiness in his voice didn't have me convinced at all.

I nodded, but never actually gave the impression that I believed him. When I turned back to the rest of the group, Alice and Rosalie already had their heads together, clearly planning something. I hoped it had nothing to do with me. Emmett and Jasper were conversing over the girls, but I couldn't tell exactly what they were saying.

"Bella!" Rose's voice suddenly said. "Why didn't you say that you had a free pass for the weekend?"

"I just got here, Rose," I said with a laugh. "It's not like you're that far out of the loop."

"Still… would have been nice to know ahead of time," she said, though I could barely hear her over the music.

I looked over at Edward with a smile to see what he had to say, but he just smiled back.

The conversations continued, mainly just catching up with each other since we hadn't hung out together since that day at the restaurant. Rose and Emmett mentioned that the family dinner had been postponed. Alice and Jasper filled them in on all the parties my mother dragged me to, dropping hints that I had started paying less and less attention to my fiancé.

I chanced another look at Edward. He was looking back at me, but he had the strangest expression. His eyes were slightly glazed and unfocused. My gaze involuntarily dropped to his jeans and there was a distinct bulge. A _large_ tent of a bulge. My smile somehow transformed into a grin and I met his eyes. I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I-I, uh… Bella, I mean," he stammered.

I decided I needed to start trying to get a reaction out of him. "Edward Masen, is that really proper?" I teased.

"Bella, I-"

"Eddie! Baby Bell! We're dancing!" Emmett boomed, grabbing my arm and dragging me toward the floor.

"Emmett! What the hell are you doing?" I said, laughing the entire way, but still struggling against his grip.

"I'm bringing you to the dance floor," he said. "You're dancing with me, and that's final."

I looked over to see Alice and Jasper in their own little world, and Rose smiling and dancing with Edward. He looked slightly uncomfortable, like he wasn't used to dancing in public. Or just dancing in general. It was proof that he was still adjusting to being out with people. Once he closed his eyes, I could tell he was concentrating on forgetting everyone around him and focusing on the music. He was much more relaxed when he did that.

I found myself having a lot of fun with Emmett. One second he would be dancing really well, attracting all sorts of female attention from around the room, then he would suddenly yell, "Oh! Have you seen this move, Baby Bell?" before breaking into the most ridiculous moves I had ever seen. I knew he'd only had one or two drinks so far, so he wasn't exactly drunk yet. If this was what he was like sober, it would be interesting to see what he did with more alcohol in his system.

Alice scooted me out of the way after a few songs, demanding that Jasper was no fun and she was determined to find fun somewhere. Apparently she thought that source would be Emmett.

I just shook my head and went to join Jasper. We went back to sit at the table, both needing the break. I had no idea how Jasper could handle Alice all day, every day on top of having a good job. I ordered a coffee, opting not to drink for the night so that Edward wouldn't feel like he was the only sober one and so that I wouldn't embarrass myself in front of him, while Jasper ordered a beer.

We watched our friends on the dance floor, Alice and Emmett going crazy even though the song didn't have a very fast tempo and Rosalie and Edward moving to the beat, but concentrating more on the conversation they were having.

My eyes stayed glued on Edward. His shirt was clinging to his muscles more than normal from the heat. His movements were fluid and smooth, unlike the jerky, spastic movements of most of the male population out there. There was a soft smile on his face and I knew he was thinking of something else. He was probably remembering a better time, before his parents died, when he came to a club like this.

Jasper leaned over to me so that he didn't have to yell. "He only came here for you," he said.

"That's not true," I scoffed. "He came because he wanted to spend time with his friends."

"Then why hasn't he stopped looking at you every chance he gets?"

I turned my head to glare at my friend. "That's ridiculous."

He smiled. "Look behind you."

I peeked back and, sure enough, my eyes instantly locked with Edward's. I blushed and bit my lip, but forced myself to keep the contact. I wanted to show him that I was ready to be with him, even if I couldn't really say it out loud yet. He smiled, clearly seeing my blush. He was heading back toward the table when the song changed again.

Rosalie started cheering when _Single Ladies_ by Beyonce came on. She rushed past Edward, beating him back to the table.

"Bella, you need to dance with me on this one!" she said, dragging me back out.

"Why, Rose? Why can't I just hang out at the table?" I pouted. I knew there was no point since we were already at the dance floor, but I had to at least try to get out of it.

"Because you need to show Edward exactly what you can do," she said, placing her hands on my hips and dancing with me. "Now that he's not on the dance floor, he can watch you without being distracted," she explained.

"Rose, that's-" I looked back over at the table midsentence and was surprised to find Edward looking intently in our direction. I could tell he wasn't about to look away.

"The best idea ever?" she said with a smirk. "For some reason, girl on girl action turns guys on. Now he won't be able to keep his hands off you for the rest of the night."

I didn't know how to answer her, so I looked back at Edward, his eyes still on me. Jasper was sitting behind him, sipping at his beer and smirking at me.

Edward really _wasn't_ going to stop looking at me. He really had come out tonight for me.

Jasper was right, which meant there was only one thing to do.

"Let's dance," I said, more to myself than Rose, but she heard me anyway and cheered.

We danced together for three songs, just having fun. She convinced me to not look back at the table, to just forget he was there, and concentrate on the moment.

"If you pay attention to him, you won't have fun," she told me. "The whole point of this is to have fun and look hot doing it!"

Rose showed me different moves that she'd learned over the years. It was a lot different than anything I'd learned growing up with my mother. It took some getting used to. Rosalie got so fed up with me not being able to understand anything she taught me, so she went with the simplest thing she could think of.

She taught me to grind.

I failed miserably. I just couldn't wrap my head around the subject.

"It's in the hips, Bella," Rose said, moving my hips with her hands. "Just let your hips move to the beat."

"I can't do it, Rose," I said with a laugh. The situation was hilarious, even to me. "We may as well give up now."

She sighed, but then something over my shoulder made her smile. "Maybe you just need a better teacher," she said happily. "Hi Edward!"

I hissed at her so no one else would hear. "Rose, I'm not falling for that shit. You can't-"

"Hi, Bella," I heard in my ear as I felt Edward's hands on my hips. My eyes widened and I was glad for the loud music because it was quite possible that I whimpered. Rose was still smirking in front of me, but she decided to leave and find Emmett.

"Edward," I breathed. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Well, I _was_ watching you dance, or trying to dance… but Rose didn't seem like she was helping too much," he explained. "I figured I might be able to help. Besides, I promised to dance with you."

Somehow, I managed to get my brain working enough to regain my ability to speak. It was a little easier once I remembered that I didn't have to look at him while I was talking. "What makes you think you can help any more than she can?"

"My mother made me take ballroom dancing lessons when I was younger," he said. "I had to get used to this kind of dancing just like you." His thumbs rubbed circles into the skin between my top and my skirt, making me once again lose brain function.

"Oh," I said. "Um, okay."

"If you don't want me to, Bella, I won't," he said gently.

"No!" I said, startling him. His hands gripped my hips tighter when I turned around suddenly. "I mean, I want you to, Edward."

He smiled down at me and I just had to smile back. "Good," he said simply.

The music changed again. This time, The Toadies' _Possum Kingdom_ blasted through the club. Edward turned me around and made sure I was pressed tightly against him. I felt his erection pressing into my lower back and my breathing hitched. He pretended to not know exactly what he was doing, but I could hear the smile in his voice when he started giving me tips.

"Find the beat," he said. "Move your feet like you would with any other dance, but don't move around." I tried to do what he said, but my feet ended up carrying me away from him in the process. His hands, still firm on my hips, pulled me back to him and making me stumble on my heels. "No, Bella. You need to transfer the work from your feet to your hips. Just follow what I do."

I concentrated on the movement of Edward's hips. Mine moved when his moved.

Well, that was putting it politely.

I kept in contact with the one part of him I had always avoided until tonight. Somehow, it had somehow become acceptable to me to keep in contact with his erection while I danced with him, to take a peek at it when he's clearly staring at me.

And now I couldn't get enough.

The dancing itself got a lot easier with this tactic. Edward noticed and backed off, but not before saying, "I think you've got it. Let's see if you can do it without me."

I froze for a second, just listening to the music, trying to remember exactly what Edward did while I wasn't focused on his crotch behind me. I closed my eyes, like he had done earlier, and just let the music flow through me. I concentrated on the beat and quickly found what I had missed for the rest of the night.

I felt Edward behind me again after a little while. "You've got it," he said proudly.

"I guess I did," I answered happily.

I let myself drift back into feeling Edward behind me and following his movements. I was finally able to listen to the song without worrying about focusing on exactly what I was doing.

_I can promise you  
__You'll stay as beautiful  
__With dark hair  
__And soft skin...forever  
__Forever_

_Make up your mind  
__Make up your mind  
__And I'll promise you  
__I will treat you well  
__My sweet angel  
__So help me, Jesus_

The lyrics had never really meant anything to me before that moment. But hearing those lines – and I could swear to God Edward was singing along behind me – made me think of something more.

Could that be what I hadn't seen all along?

Could that be what Edward had been thinking?

I turned myself around and put my arms around his neck, but still tried to keep dancing. It wasn't working too well, but I really didn't care.

Neither did he. He just smiled down at me.

I smiled back briefly before resting my head on his chest. My arms tightened around him. Somehow I would work up the courage to tell him. I had to….

The next song was slow – at the request of one of the more regular patrons – so Edward and I stayed as we were, his arms around my waist and my head resting against his chest as we swayed. Neither of us said a thing until it was over and I tried to shift back for the faster tempo, but lost my footing. Edward was still holding me, though, so I didn't fall.

"Time to go back to the table?" he asked, guessing that my feet were killing me.

"Oh yeah," I said with a chuckle. "My feet need a rest."

Edward laughed and kept his arm around my waist as we walked back. He pulled out my chair when I got back to the table and I smiled to myself at his chivalry before the others' conversation reached my ears.

"Oh my God, Rose, did you see that, that… thing the other day?" Alice said.

"Wait, the thing with the doohickey or the one with the fat guy?" Rose answered.

"No! The one about the gross thing with the nipple."

"Oh! Hey, Ed," Emmett boomed. "Remember that thing we watched a while back with the three foot dick?"

"No one has a three foot dick, Emmett," Alice protested.

"No, this thing did! Real wood!"

I exchanged glances with Edward, knowing exactly what Emmett was talking about. They were also completely drunk, which made it even more hilarious.

"Uh-huh, right. And Jasper watches gay porn," Alice said.

"Baby!" Jasper protested.

"Wait, really?" Rose asked, interested.

"No!" Jasper assured her. "Well, there was that one with the girls… but it totally doesn't count!"

"Don't worry, Jazz," Alice said, patting the top of his head, needing to stand up to do it. "I was just making a point."

"So maybe there's no three foot dick, but mine is pretty close to a foot. Right, Rosie?" Emmett said proudly. "Rosie knows just how long it is." He nuzzled into his girlfriend's neck, kissing and nibbling at her skin.

She moaned and moved so that he could reach more skin. "Oh, yeah, Emmett…. Just like that, baby." She leaned over to whisper to him, not realizing we could all hear, when he came up for breath. "You better put that foot-long dick to use tonight. Maybe I'll even let you tie me up and-"

"Rosalie!" Edward hissed. "You are in public!"

She glared at him. "Fuckin' prude. You'd be doin' the same fuckin' thing if it was you and Bella. Don't even try to deny it, bucko." She sat back in her seat and crossed her arms, clearly pissed.

Emmett pouted over at his cousin. He looked like a three year old who'd been refused a lollipop after a shot.

"Ooooh, Rose got in trouble!" Alice said, drawing out the last word.

I sighed. "I'm going to get a refill. Anyone want anything?" I asked. I was immediately bombarded with drink orders. I went over them quickly before I left to make sure I got them right.

The bar was fairly empty at that point due to a flood to the dance floor for a popular song. I made my way to a free stool.

"What'll it be?" a frazzled bartender said when she came up to me.

"There's a few," I warned her. She sighed and nodded. I listed them off slowly, making sure that she got each one. She said them back to me before running off to make them. I sat uncomfortably at the bar waiting for her to get back, keeping my eyes on the counter and not looking around. I felt someone next to me, but ignored them.

"Hey there, sweets," a deep voice said. When I didn't answer, he moved closer. "Not a talker, huh? I bet I could get you to _scream_." His hand ghosted down my arm and I flinched away from him, still trying to ignore his advances and glancing back at the table. Edward could see me. "Oh, what's the matter? Your _boyfriend_ here? Not to worry. I'll show you how a real man acts."

He grabbed my shoulders and turned me to him. He wasn't bad looking, but he was clearly drunk. His breath reeked of beer.

"I would very much appreciate it if you would leave," I said, trying to keep the image of a shy, demure girl. Little did he know what I was currently going over all the self-defense lessons Edward taught me.

"And if I don't feel like it?" he said with a smirk, his hands gripping my shoulders even more tightly. He had left my arms and legs completely unrestricted. Idiot. He was leaving himself completely open.

I put my hands on his shoulders, acting like I was leaning in and giving in, before I used my grip for leverage to knee him in the nuts.

He fell away from me, cupping his crotch and swearing at the top of his lungs. I calmly sat back on the bar stool and waited for my order.

"Nice to know you didn't forget," a soft, welcome voice said in my ear as Edward sat down next to me.

"Some things I just can't forget," I said with a small smile. "You made me drill that one until you needed to go get ice."

"It was worth it," he said sincerely.

The bartender came back with the drinks then, preventing me from saying anything else. I picked them off and we headed off toward the table again, but there were so many drinks. I could barely hold them all. Edward saw me struggling with carrying them and quickly took more than half from me, telling me not to worry about it.

We got back to the table and set everyone's drink down in front of them. They didn't even notice that we were back, still on the same subject. And I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Right, but you can't just go around your own place whippin' out your junk to measure it with Edward around. Now Jazzy and I, we can just go back to our place and do anything we want. Bella won't care. I've got this whole section of my closet just for role playing. There's this one for Jazzy that just makes me go _wild_. He's a Major in the Confederate Army and those pants… I just want to rip them off the moment I see him." Alice's eyes were unfocused and her breathing grew labored. I stared in shock. She was that easily turned on by just talking about it. "I think we're doing that one tonight, Major," she said, turning to her husband.

Jasper grinned at her and pulled her into his lap, earning a squeal. "Well, alright, little lady," he said, using his fake southern accent. It almost sounded authentic at times. "But only if you'll be my saloon maid, ready to show your support to a good, tired soldier."

"Oh, I don't think he's that tired," Alice said, unabashedly palming her husband's crotch.

"Alice!" I shrieked.

"What, Bella?" she said. "Oh, don't tell me you haven't been staring at Edward's anaconda all night long."

"She's right, Belly," Jasper added. "It's like you've had a radar for his dick and you've just been starting at him…"

"Jasper!" My friend just shrugged and I buried my now tomato red face in my hands, not wanting to look at anyone. I could hear a few of them snickering, but I couldn't quite make out who it was.

I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and instantly knew it was Edward's. I jerked away a little, not wanting to see his reaction.

"Bella," he said, his voice closer than I anticipated. "Bella, stop hiding."

"No," I mumbled into my hands. "I'm perfectly content right here."

"Well, I'm not," he stated. He took my hands and pried them off my face before pushing some stray hairs back. "There, much better."

My blush doubled, and I looked down at the table.

"Aww, Belly's blushing!" Jasper gushed.

"Rosie, baby, maybe we should try that role playing stuff," Emmett said, leaning over to his girlfriend. "Maybe you can be my-" A crash from the other side of the table alerted us to the fact that Emmett had fallen off his chair. "Ow…"

Edward sighed. "Maybe this is our cue to call it a night." He stared pointedly at the man groaning in pain on the floor.

"Yeah, I guess so," I said. "How did you guys get here?"

"Cab," he said. "Emmett didn't want me driving his car home."

"Well, we can throw them in another cab, but I can't drive Jasper's car," I said, grumbling. "Fucker had to buy a stick shift."

Edward chuckled. "It's fine. I'll drive. Come on."

Ten minutes later, we had Emmett and Rose in a cab and headed home. Jasper and Alice were waiting in the car, but I was having an internal debate and Edward, of course, noticed.

"What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing his hands up and down my arms to keep me from getting too cold.

"As soon as we get back, those two will be going at it like rabbits," I said. "I don't want to be around that. But I refuse to go home." I sighed. "This sucks."

"Stay with me," Edward offered. I looked up at him, confused.

_Did he just say what I think he said?_

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AN: *gasp* What's gonna happen now? Leave your guesses in a review! Or just tell me what you thought of this first part. I love knowing what everyone thinks, so please, please, please review! :)

**Next Chapter: It's a little shorter than this one and still BPOV, but I'm sure you'll all love it. I can't give it away though! However, I can tell you that it will be posted on November 16th. I know it seems like a ridiculously long time from now, but would you ratherget it sooner and then have to wait even longer for the next chapter? (If I get enough people saying that they want it sooner, I will seriously consider making it sooner. Check my profile for updates!)**

**Everyone should definitely check out NaNoWriMo and if you have even the tiniest bit of interest in writing, try it! The stress is totally worth it!! And don't forget to press the green button to review!**

**-Kaylee**


	11. Might Tell You Tonight Part Two

**AN: *peeks head out from behind a corner* Hey guys. Yes, I am aware that it isn't the 16th yet. However, I have a huge paper due on Monday and a smaller paper due on Tuesday, so there was no way I would be able to get it out on time. and rather than make you guys wait even longer, I decided to post it early. Even though it's a little short, it's still a nice surprise, right? Also, I ask you all to please keep my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, and my friend Oriana de la Rose in your thoughts and prayers. Rachel is suffering from the swine (again!) and Ori is going through a tough time. I really hope everything gets better for both of you!**

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing. Not Twilight or anything else that I make tiny references to. (You guys get major points if you notice any of those references, btw. They're really miniscule.)**

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_(Re-cap of Part One)_

_"What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing his hands up and down my arms to keep me from getting too cold._

_"As soon as we get back, those two will be going at it like rabbits," I said. "I don't want to be around that. But I refuse to go home." I sighed. "This sucks."_

_"Stay with me," Edward offered. I looked up at him, confused._

_Did he just say what I think he said?_

**Chapter 9 – Might Tell You Tonight (Part Two)**

BPOV

"Spend the night at my place," he said again.

_Holy fuck, he did._

"No, Edward, I couldn't," I said quickly. "It's not fair to you and-"

"Bella, it's fine. I want you to come."

And then my mind went straight to the gutter. Images of Edward from my dream popped instantly back into my mind.

_"Bella, beautiful Bella. Let me do this for you. Let me make you feel good…"_

I shook my head to get rid of those images. I couldn't deal with that right then.

"Edward, I can't," I said.

_I can't tell you that I love you because I don't want things to change._

That's really what it came down to in the end. I loved what we had. I needed to know that he would be around and there was no guarantee that he wouldn't leave me in a month, a year, two years…

Edward lifted my chin and made me look into his deep, cavernous green eyes. "Please, Bella? For me?" he asked softly.

I sighed. "As long as you're sure," I said, "and that I'm in no way inconveniencing you or putting you out and that I won't hinder any of your plans."

"Never."

I sighed again. "Then yes, I would love to stay at your place tonight. Lord knows Thumper and the Energizer Bunny won't be getting any sleep tonight." Edward and I walked over to the car to find my two best friends making out in the backseat. I just looked at him and rolled my eyes. "See? I told you. They have no idea about anything that's going on outside their bubble."

"Let's just get them home," Edward said as he opened the passenger side door for me.

It took twenty minutes to get back to Alice and Jasper's place with the traffic, but only took two minutes for things to get really uncomfortable.

"Oh, Jasper," Alice moaned when they finally came up for breath.

"Tell me what you want, baby," Jasper replied.

I kept my head facing front, not needing the visuals to go with the audio. Edward cleared his throat and turned on the radio, giving the two of us a little bit of a distraction from the foreplay going on in the back of the car.

At least I hoped it was only foreplay… I didn't want to chance looking back to find out.

The sounds got louder as we went.

"Edward," I said hesitantly. "Do you think you could drive any faster without getting pulled over?"

His eyes glanced down at the speedometer. I could feel the car accelerate a bit, but still not a lot. "That's as much as I can go," he said apologetically. "But I would if I could get away with it."

I nodded and sighed as I heard Jasper groan.

I was out of the car as soon as Edward put it in park. The key was in the lock as soon as I got to the door and I ran in to quickly grab the overnight bag I had packed. When I got back to the front door, I saw Edward pulling Jasper out of the car by the shoulders.

"Come on, lover boy," he said. "Take your woman inside."

Jasper almost took a punch at Edward before he realized exactly where they were. Then he grinned and reached into the car to pull Alice out. He heaved her over his shoulder and ran into the house, Alice squealing the entire way.

I shut the door behind them and sighed, leaning against the sturdy wood. Edward was leaning against the hood of the car, looking up at me.

"Freedom," I gasped before bursting out laughing. Edward joined seconds later. I tried to walk down the stairs, still laughing, but stumbled on the last one. Edward caught me in his arms before I made contact with the ground. "Thanks," I said, looking up at him.

"Anytime, Bella," he said. "Now let's get out of here." He took out his cell phone and quickly dialed the number for a cab service, not wanting to use Jasper's car.

We had to wait almost ten minutes for the cab. Edward noticed I was shivering since my outfit – designed to make him sweat – didn't really cover much of my body.

"Are you alright, Bella?" he asked.

"Yeah, fine," I said, bouncing a little on the balls of my feet to keep the blood flowing.

"No, you're not," he sighed. He stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "There. That will help a little," he said, his mouth right by my ear.

I could feel his erection, still very prominent, behind me. The urge to grind against him again was overwhelming, but somehow I resisted. It was decidedly more awkward to do that on a city sidewalk in the middle of the night stone-cold sober than in the middle of a dance floor at a club with ridiculously loud music pumping out of the speakers.

Having his arms around me did help keep out the cold however. I was grateful for that.

"Thank you, by the way," I said quietly.

"For this? You're welcome," he said.

"Well, yeah, but not just this," I said. "For wearing this." I pulled gently on his shirt. "It didn't really help to find you like I'd hoped, but it still meant a lot to me."

"Well, you're welcome for that as well," he said. "And did I tell you just how wonderful you look tonight? You are stunning, Bella."

I blushed, but couldn't say anything in response. Thankfully the cab showed up then and Edward helped me in before telling the driver where we were headed.

We were silent during the drive, a sudden burst electricity flowing between us. Edward kept an arm around my shoulders to help me warm up faster. It felt right being there with him, like that. I felt safe and content. I never wanted to leave. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt when I was with James.

This was where I belonged.

There was no questioning that fact, but I still couldn't bring myself to tell Edward. What if he realized he didn't really love me? What if what he really loved was the chase and grew bored of me?

I had a feeling I was just being irrational and letting my insecurities take over, but I couldn't help it. I didn't understand why he would want me out of any other woman. What was so special about me?

I looked up to see his eyes focused on me. His expression was a mixture of adoration and ecstasy. I blushed and smiled shyly up at him. It was clear that he was happy to be with me, but the reason behind it was still a mystery to me.

"Are you still cold?" he asked quietly, as if he was afraid to disturb the silence.

"No, I'm okay," I answered honestly. The heat from his body was very nice and very welcome. The fact that his arm was around my shoulders helped so that it wasn't just one side of my body getting the heat. "It'll be nice to have the warmth in your apartment, though."

"You'll also have more than two scraps of clothing on," he teased, tugging on the strap of my top. "It'll be easier to warm up that way."

"Oh, come on," I said, going off his playfulness. "You know you like it."

Edward's smile grew and went crooked. If I had been standing, my knees would have gone weak at the sight of it, but thankfully I was sitting and couldn't react visibly. "Well, then I may just have to hide those pajamas of yours," he said, trying to pull them out of my hands.

I tightened my grip on the bag and glared at him. "Just because I rubbed my ass on your junk for half the night does not give you license to steal my clothing," I said in the most matter-of-fact tone I could manage.

He cocked an eyebrow at me, still smiling that crooked smile. "And what exactly would I have to do to gain that license?"

I tried to come up with a witty response to that, but I finally lost my control. His words had pulled the metaphorical rug out from under me and now I was sprawled on the floor with nothing to say.

"Just don't do it," I finally sputtered.

Edward grinned, sensing his victory. He placed a quick kiss on the top of my head. "I won't, I promise," he said.

The driver dropped us off right in front of Edward's building. I tried to pay for the cab but Edward, being an inexhaustible gentleman, grabbed my hands and refused to let me. He pulled cash out of his wallet and handed it to the cabbie. He got out of the car first before reaching in to take my hand and help me out.

Without missing a beat, Edward had his arm wrapped around my shoulder and my body tucked into his side to keep me warm for the short walk. I smiled and let him, reveling in the feel of his body against mine. He relaxed a bit once we were inside, but his arm stayed around me as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Edward nodded at the security guard and I waved, trying to be polite. The man nodded back with a small smile. He obviously thought we were together.

My mind jumped to the thought of us walking into the building like that, together, more often. To be strolling in with Edward's arm around me and the thought that I would be spending even more time with him. I smiled at the thought and, of course, Edward noticed.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked as we climbed the stairs.

"Nothing, just thinking about stuff," I said ambiguously. I didn't want to tell him that I was secretly fantasizing about him throwing me over his shoulder and hauling me up the stairs to perform unspeakable acts which I would thoroughly enjoy.

"Stuff, huh? What kind of stuff?"

"Happy stuff."

"Must be to get you to smile like that," he said. Then his voice dropped to a murmur as if he didn't want me to hear the next thing he said. "You look beautiful when you smile like that."

I blushed. Thankfully I didn't need to come up with a response because we'd reached the door of his apartment. He quickly fished his key out of his pocket and ushered me out of the hallway.

It was remarkably different than what I remembered. It had resembled a hotel room the last time I'd been there; furnished, but barely lived in. He hadn't even had much furniture beyond the necessities. The walls had been all white. Everything was neat, like it hadn't been used.

Now as I looked around, I knew that whatever people were saying I did to change him was a good thing. Before, there was only one decoration in the entire house: the picture and article about his parents. As I looked around, I couldn't find a single wall that didn't have some picture of people he loved. It was evident that the placement of each was carefully thought out and planned thoroughly. The walls were still white, but that didn't matter since there were so many pictures.

There were magazines and knickknacks scattered throughout the living area. He'd mentioned to me before that he had some things from his parents just stored in boxes; he must have finally gone through them. I saw a stray Xbox controller lying near the entertainment stand.

The picture of his parents was still in the same spot, but it was now flanked by two other, smaller pictures. One was a professional photograph from their wedding, though not posed. Edward looked exactly like his father, except for the hair. His hair was from his mother. They both looked radiant, looking into each other's eyes and smiling. They were lost in each other. It was beautiful. The other was clearly taken when Edward was born. His mother was lying in a hospital bed, a tiny bundle in her arms, with Edward Sr. standing over her. I could barely see a small tuft of bronze hair poking out of the blanket. They looked exhausted, but overjoyed. Both pictures went so well with the middle picture.

It was a black and white candid photo of Edward's parents. They looked a little younger than when they were married; it was probably taken around college. Edward Sr. was lifting Elizabeth into the air while she held onto his shoulders. She was shocked – he must have done it without warning – but she looked happy. He was smiling as well.

The thought of a love like that coming to a halt because of one asshole's decision to drive after drinking was devastating.

I hadn't even noticed that I'd frozen until Edward called my name nervously.

"Edward, this is wonderful," I said, looking at him, my smile much wider than before. "It looks great."

He breathed out a sigh of relief. "I think so too," he said with a wry smile. "But I think anything would have been an improvement over the old whitewashed walls."

I laughed and dropped onto his couch. "Yeah, you've got that right," I said.

"This isn't the only room that's different you know," he noted.

"Are you sure you did all this?" I asked, teasing him. "It wasn't terrifying space monkeys that took over the design process?"

"Go look," he said, grumbling. "Don't feed the terrifying space monkeys. They bite."

I laughed and jumped up to see the rest of the apartment. A spot of color caught my eye and I bounded into the kitchen to see cheery yellow walls and some unwashed dishes in the sink. I smirked, knowing that three months ago he had to have every dish cleaned as soon as he'd finished using it.

The hallway was light beige, just enough of a contrast from the white to count as color in comparison, but not overwhelming. Pictures of Edward and Emmett over the years, from when they were stumbling toddlers to a fairly recent photo of Emmett and Rose, were scattered along the length of the hall. I peeked into the guest room and saw a dark color permeating the walls, but I couldn't put a finger on the exact shade. The bathroom was done in a nice beach theme.

I turned back to Edward. "It looks great," I said. "It shows that you put in a lot of effort."

"Well, if something is worth doing, it's worth doing right," he commented with a shrug. "There is one room you missed." He indicated the closed door to his bedroom.

I felt myself flush and my breath hitch. I hadn't seen his bedroom the last time I was here, so I felt a little apprehensive. "I don't really have anything to compare it to," I noted.

Edward sighed. "Yeah, that's true. You could still look if you want."

"No, that's okay," I said quickly. "It's your space, I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding…"

"It's fine, Edward," I said. "But I am going to take over your bathroom for a little while. I am no longer near Alice or a club, so the outfit is no longer needed. It's time for pajamas."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Go right ahead. I'm just going to grab a snack. You want anything?"

"No, I'm good, thanks," I answered before slipping into the bathroom.

I took a minute to just get my breathing in check. It had finally sunk in sometime during my inspection that I was in Edward's apartment with him. _Alone_ with him. I needed to get past the initial shock of being here before I could even bring myself to change.

I splashed a little water on my face to waken myself up and scrubbed off my makeup. It felt as if I was rubbing off some unknown layer of uncertainty and hesitancy. I no longer saw any reason to be worried about being here with Edward.

I walked back into the living area, feeling refreshed, to see Edward lounging on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, flipping through channels on the television. I flopped down next to him and stole the remote.

We spent the next couple hours just sitting on his couch watching TV and throwing popcorn at one another. I was getting tired, but I didn't want to give up spending time with him.

I must have fallen asleep, though, because I came to enough to feel him pick me up and carry me to his room. I was too tired to care that he was putting me down in his bed. However, I was also out of it enough to not remember my brain filter.

When Edward pulled away after he laid me on the bed, I held onto his shirt and pulled him back.

"Don't go," I mumbled.

"What was that?" he whispered.

"Stay," I said, pulling on his shirt to make my point.

"Okay," Edward said. "Just let me get ready." He gently pried my hands off.

He came back a few minutes later and lay next to me on the bed. It was cold, so I scooted over to his side and he carefully put his arm around me. The last thing I was aware of before falling asleep was the scent of Edward, surrounding me, filling me.

_His hand slowly encircled my waist, pulling me closer to him. I could feel the warmth of his skin through the fabric of my clothes._

_"Bella," he whispered. "I love you."_

_"Edward," I groaned. "Edward, don't leave me." My hands were gripping the front of his shirt as if my life depended on it. "Please, promise me. You have to, Edward…" _

_"I'll be here, my Bella," he said. His free hand came up to gently caress my cheek. "Always for you."_

_"I love you, Edward," I sighed, leaning into him and resting my cheek on his chest. His arms wrapped around me and I felt safe, protected._

_But then the warmth was gone. There was only cold._

_My eyes jerked open and I looked down at myself to see a beautiful white gown flowing around me. My wedding? I thought. It all clicked into place and I rushed out to see my father waiting for me._

_"Glad to see you so happy, Isabella," he said with a smile. I couldn't even be mad at him for using my full name._

_When the doors opened to reveal the beautiful wedding scene, I couldn't focus on anything other than the man at the altar. Instantly, the warmth was back. Edward was beaming at me from the front of the church. I wanted to run to him, but I couldn't. My father held me back and led me slowly down the aisle._

_I kept eye contact with Edward the entire time. Nothing other than his smile could draw my attention._

_"Edward," I whispered. I doubted he could hear me, but I said it anyway. "I love you."_

_"Come to me. Be mine, Isabella," he said and I froze._

_His voice was wrong. That wasn't the voice that made me feel safe. That wasn't Edward's voice._

_His smile morphed into a smirk and his face transformed into the owner of the voice._

_"You are mine, Isabella," James crooned._

_I couldn't move. I was paralyzed with fear. My father kept moving toward the altar as if my arm were still entwined with his. No one else in the room seemed to think that anything was wrong. But I was terrified._

_"Edward?" I called softly. "Edward, where are you?"_

_James took the few steps off the altar and stalked toward me. "What's the matter? You love me, Isabella," he said._

_"Get away from me," I said weakly. I still couldn't move my feet. I sank to the floor, landing roughly on my knees. "Edward, please."_

_"You belong to me," James growled. "There is no one else."_

_I finally found the will to move and skittered backwards, only to fall into a hole that hadn't been there mere seconds before. There was blackness surrounding me for some time before I felt solid ground collide with my back._

_At first it looked like the bottom of a hole. It was dark and there were no distinguishing characteristics. The noise of traffic in the background eventually tipped me off to where I was._

_I was back in the alley, back on that fateful night._

_I launched myself up and ran to the end of the stretch, only to find a dead end. Swearing, I turned and raced to the other end, but ran into something hard._

_"Well, hello there," James said sweetly into my ear. "How nice. I didn't even have to try to get you in my arms." His mouth connected with my neck in wet, sloppy, open-mouthed kisses on my neck. "You're mine, Isabella. There's no escape." His grip tightened on my arms and he shoved me against the wall, pressing himself against me._

I screamed and jolted up in bed, panting.

"Bella? Bella! What's wrong?" Edward's voice came from beside me. I looked over to see his eyes full of concern, trying to figure out what was wrong.

I collapsed into him and sobbed into his shirt, clinging to him for all I was worth.

"I can't do it, Edward," I cried. "I can't do it anymore."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about, Bella? What's wrong?" he asked. His voice was worried, panicked about my breakdown.

I took a deep breath and looked into his eyes, praying my voice would stay steady for what I needed to say to him. "I love you, Edward. I'm sick of denying it. I love you and I want to be with you."

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**AN: So, that was the second cliffhanger in two chapters.... This one was actually planned though. I didn't have another way to possibly end this chapter. I'd love to know what everyone thought about it! Especially all you lurkers who have yet to surface. Reviews are possibly the best thing ever and they keep me going. :)**

**Next chapter: How does Edward react???**

**Now, I am participating in NaNoWriMo until the end of November (I'm currently at 20,500 words at the moment and about a day behind, if anyone cares). That means that the next chapter won't be out until the second week of December at the earliest. It all depends on my workload though. Keep checking my profile for updates!**

**-Kaylee**


	12. The Reaction

**AN: That wasn't too bad of a wait, was it? It probably was, but I'm sorry. Hopefully this will be worth the wait. I had a paper due last week (I got an A!!) and it was the last week of classes. So naturally my professors decided it would be a good idea to give us more work. Nice of them, right? But now I'm on my two day break between finals and I'm going home on Saturday. And (if you've checked my profile - I really do put updates there) my goal is to have the next chapter out before Christmas. And maybe one around the New Year, but don't hold me to that one. As always, thanks to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, for reading over my chapters.**

**Disclaimer: My name is nothing close to Stephenie Meyer. I don't own Twilight or the characters. I just made Jake (and half the Wolf Pack) gay.**

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**Chapter 10 – The Reaction**

EPOV

Bella fell asleep fairly quickly once the popcorn supply was depleted. I stayed there with her for a while, content to just have her with me. Her legs were thrown over my lap as she snuggled into one of my pillows. I smiled and watched her innocently peaceful expression.

I must have dozed off because the chiming of the clock knocked me back into consciousness. I quickly flipped off the TV and decided that I couldn't leave Bella on the couch for the night when I had two perfectly good beds in the bedrooms.

She curled into me as I picked her up, her hands lightly gripping my shirt, and I knew I couldn't put her in the guest room. I went straight to my room and set her on top of my bed.

Before I could even begin to decide where I was going to sleep, my decision was made for me. As I pulled back from setting Bella down, her hands tightened their grip on my shirt and preventing me from going anywhere. She said something in a small voice, but I couldn't understand her.

I leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, "What was that?"

"Stay." She tugged me closer to further get her point across.

I wouldn't have denied her anyway. I smiled down at her, even though she had her eyes closed.

"Okay. Just let me get ready," I told her. Her little hands were still clutching my shirt so I had to gently pry them off.

I grabbed a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt before heading into the bathroom.

The realization that I was going to be sleeping in the same bed as Bella hit me over the head like a ton of bricks as I was getting ready. I practically fell into the countertop as I tried to get a hold of myself. It took a minute for my breathing to settle down, but the erection that had sprung up refused to abate.

Simply the _thought_ of Bella being in my bed, waiting for me to go lie next to her, was alluring. She wanted me there. She wanted to share a bed with me.

Smiling, I finished getting ready and lay down on the other side of the bed. My erection was still very prominent, and as much as I wanted to wrap myself around Bella, I knew my cock had been pressed against her enough for one night.

Bella had other plans though. As soon as I was settled, she scooted over and rested her head on my chest, curling into my side. I happily wrapped my arm around her, glad that I would have her close to me for the whole night.

I fell asleep to the soothing sound of her breathing merging with my own.

I woke up to a different sensation altogether. Bella was kicking my legs and pushing herself out of my embrace, a low keening coming from her.

"Bella?" I asked quietly, not sure what was going on.

She didn't answer. I sat up and looked over to see that her eyes were closed. She was having a nightmare. I tried to touch her to wake her up, but her flailing limbs were making that difficult.

She was still mumbling, but I could make out some of the words.

"Don't," she said. "Edward… where…? No, don't…"

It was heartbreaking to see her like that, but I couldn't do anything. I called her name a few more times and it was like I hadn't said a thing. All I could do was wait it out.

After another minute or two, she let out a short scream and bolted upright. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes were open. She'd finally woken up.

"Bella? Bella!" I said. "What's wrong?" I couldn't keep the panic out of my voice.

Her head whipped over in my direction and I saw the crazed terror in her eyes. When she realized that it was me, she fell into me and burst into tears.

I rubbed her back, trying to calm her down, but she didn't even seem to notice. She was more concerned with holding onto me than trying to relax.

"I can't do it, Edward. I can't do it anymore," she sobbed.

My brow furrowed as I looked down at her and my hand stilled on her back, but the concern never left. "What do you mean?" I questioned. "What are you talking about, Bella? What's wrong?"

Bella didn't answer right away. She struggled to get her breathing under control before she looked up at me. She looked right in my eyes before she spoke in a perfectly level voice.

"I love you, Edward. I'm sick of denying it. I love you and I want to be with you."

I froze. Had I heard her right? Did she just finally admit to loving me? Was I still asleep and just dreaming?

The expression on her face morphed into one of fear again and I didn't like being the reason for it. I just needed to process what she'd said.

"Edward? Say something, please," she begged.

"Say it again," I whispered.

"What?"

"I need to hear you say it again," I repeated. "Please."

A small smile crept across her face. "I love you," she said.

I let out a breath that I hadn't even realized I'd been holding as I returned her smile. "Bella, I love you. So much," I answered. I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my lips to the top of her head, content to never move from that spot for the rest of my life.

Eventually she started squirming and I realized that it might not be comfortable for her. We repositioned ourselves so that I was leaning back against the headboard and Bella was lying with her head resting in the crook of my neck. Before she settled in completely, she stretched up and placed a quick kiss on my cheek. I squeezed her gently and I put my arm around her to show my approval.

"Bella, are you okay?" I asked after a few minutes of blissful silence. "You were having a pretty bad nightmare…. I couldn't wake you up." She turned her face into my chest and tried to avoid answering. "Bella, you know you can tell me anything. It will only get worse if you don't tell me."

"You'll just get mad now," she mumbled.

"Why will it make me mad?"

She pulled away from me and sat at the edge of the bed, facing away from me with her knees pulled up to her chest. "You'll think I lied to you when I said I love you."

I put my hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away from me. I pulled my hand back sadly, only because I knew she would need to be comfortable if I wanted to get this information out of her.

"I do believe you, Bella," I said, willing her to believe me in return. "If I don't have reason to believe it then you better tell me right now, because that was the best fucking thing I've ever heard in my entire life."

"Edward, I- I'm sorry, I can't," she whispered. "It just…. God, I don't even know what that dream was. So how can I tell you?"

I got off the bed and moved in front of her, careful not to touch her. I wouldn't be able to deal with the rejection of her flinching away again.

"Just tell me what you remember," I pleaded.

She took a deep breath and hid her face in her knees. "We were getting married," she said.

I tensed. "Who? You and James?"

"No. Me and _you_, Edward."

"Then… why were you so scared? Bella, you wouldn't wake up. You kept saying 'don't' like someone was hurting you," I said, my voice breaking. "You need to tell me, love."

"You morphed into _him_," she yelled as she lifted her head. As soon as she was looking at me, it was like a floodgate opened. Her eyes were almost shaking and she spoke as if she was losing control of herself. She was terrified even remembering it. "It was _his _voice that came out of _your _mouth. It was _him_ that scared me into falling down the freakin' hole in the church aisle. It was _him_ in the alley…. Edward, I can't do this. I can't keep pretending like everything will be fine if I marry him. He isn't who my parents think he is and it won't be good and-"

I put my finger against her lips to get her to stop talking. Tears were starting to form in her eyes again. She was so scared and I needed to fix that.

"You are not going to marry him, Bella," I said firmly. "You're not. I promise."

"How can you know?" she asked around my finger.

"I'll tell you if you promise to come back to bed and let me hold you," I coaxed. "You're shaking like a leaf, love."

Bella nodded and slowly unfolded herself. She moved to lie across the bed and I wrapped myself around her like I'd wanted to do before. As my hand ghosted over her abdomen, she grabbed it and held it between her own up by her face. My other arm acted as her pillow, but I also wrapped it around her shoulders to try to calm her shaking.

"Are you okay now?" I whispered.

"A little," she admitted. "But I'm still scared. What will he do if I go home and tell him it's over? What if he finds out about you? He has connections, Edward. He can get rid of you."

I kissed her temple, pressing my lips against her skin until I could feel her breathing start to slow again. "You know that plan that I have?" She nodded against my chest. "Well, it mostly involves some cases filed against him in the past few years that have all been dropped."

Bella shifted in my arms and I loosened my grip so that she could turn to face me. Her fingers played with the seams of my shirt as she looked up at me, one of my arms still acting as her pillow.

"How do you know about them if they were all dropped?" she asked, clearly confused.

"I have connections, too," I answered simply. She cocked an eyebrow at me, not accepting my answers. I chuckled and said, "One of my regulars knows a guy. That's all I can say, I'm sorry."

"Fine. You know a guy who knows a guy," she said. "But how will dropped case files help?"

I explained my meeting with Victoria and Riley from a few days before. I noticed Bella's expression soften when I mentioned Riley. I kept talking, but my mind wandered a bit as the story continued.

Could Bella want a family some day? Would she want a family with _me?_

A distant memory popped into my head.

_My mother was walking with me in the mall and I spotted the pet store. I pulled her along with the minimal strength of an eight year old._

_Inside, I gravitated toward the golden retriever puppies._

"_Can we get one, Momma?" I asked hopefully._

_She sighed and looked between me and the puppy, who by this point had come to try to sniff me through the glass. I could tell that she was trying not to laugh when the puppy and I tried to pretend like the glass wasn't there._

"_How about you just play with one today?" she suggested. I nodded like mad and she made her way over to one of the employees to get a key to one of the visiting rooms._

_The man came over and knelt down to ask me which one I wanted to play with. I quickly pointed at the one I'd been looking at. The man laughed and told me to go wait in one of the viewing rooms._

_I grabbed my mother's hand again and we both sat in the viewing room. I was practically bouncing._

_As soon as the man set the puppy down, it ran over to me, nearly knocking me over as he tried to lick me from head to toe._

"_He likes me, Momma!" I exclaimed._

_She laughed and smiled at me while she watched me play with the puppy. Pretty soon, both the puppy and I were starting to get tired. The man took the puppy and my mom hefted me into her arms._

_I snuggled in and started to doze off in her embrace._

"_One day, Edward, you'll have your own little boy who wants a puppy," she said quietly. "I hope he gets just as tuckered out for you."_

I found myself wanting that for myself. But I wanted Bella by my side, a ring on her finger, a matching one on mine, and her belly swelling with a second child.

"Edward?" her voice called, knocking me out of my thoughts. "Where'd you go?"

"Sorry, love," I said. "I was just thinking about something."

"What kind of something?"

"A happy something," I said, taking her explanation from earlier in the night.

Bella recognized it and laughed. "Care to share?"

I shook my head. "Nope," I answered in a cheerful tone. "Not going to jinx it."

"Oh, it must be very good then," she said. At that moment, she got a mischievous grin on her face. I should have been scared, but I could only focus on the fact that I was sitting with her in my bed, my arms wrapped around her. It didn't matter that she was going to try to trick me into giving up information. "Now, how could I get it out of you? Maybe if I do this…"

She pressed her lips gently to the side of my neck, kissing higher and higher until she reached my ear. I bit my lip and tried to keep my breathing under control.

"Will you tell me now, Edward?" Her voice had a lower pitch now, husky and sensual. She knew exactly what she was doing to me.

"N-nope," I stumbled over my words.

"Hmm, looks like I need to try harder, then," she said with a tiny giggle.

I knew it would be bad before she even moved.

Bella turned to face me, her legs resting on either side of mine. Thankfully, her ass was closer to my knees than my hips, so she couldn't feel exactly how much her teasing was affecting me. Her eyes were shining with happiness, lust, and hesitation. We could deal with the latter two later.

She leaned over and paused for a second before her lips touched mine. She seemed to be debating with herself over something before she finally kissed me.

This kiss was definitely not sticking to the guideline of kisses that wouldn't lead to anything more. This kiss definitely meant _more. _

I twined my fingers into Bella's hair, needing to pull her closer. Her hands ran up my chest and rested on my shoulders as she tried to put as much force behind her kiss as possible.

Her tongue was the first to seek action. She gently touched it to my bottom lip, lightly but persistently seeking entrance. I granted her access and let her have a few moments of dominance before my tongue met hers.

It was even better than the kiss we'd shared at the Jasmine Dragon. There was no holding back. Bella's moans and whines of pleasure spurred me on as I pulled her impossibly closer.

Eventually though, we needed air. I pulled out of it first, trailing kisses up to her forehead before I pulled back and looked into her eyes.

She was radiant. Her smile seemed even more beautiful with slightly swollen lips and smeared lip gloss.

"You look beautiful," I whispered, needing to tell her and remind her just how wonderful she was. I reached my hand up to cup her cheek and she leaned into it.

"Will you tell me now?" she said.

"Tell you what?" I'd honestly forgotten that she had a ploy to get me to fess up.

"About your happy stuff," she huffed.

"Oh, right." I paused, letting her stew. "Nope."

"You're evil, Edward," she tried to say through a loud yawn.

I chuckled and pulled her back towards me, no longer caring if she noticed my erection or not. It had gone down some and I was tired enough not to care. Judging by her yawn, I figured she was too.

"Come on, love," I said. "Let's get some sleep."

She blushed. "Stop calling me that," she mumbled.

"Calling you what? Love?" I moved some hair out of her face so that I could look her in the eyes. I smiled at her gently before pressing my lips softly against hers. "But that's what you are, Bella. You are my love."

"I love you too," she whispered.

It didn't take long for Bella to fall asleep once she settled back down. I stayed up long enough to make sure that she wouldn't have another nightmare before I allowed myself to fall into a blissful slumber, my arms wrapped around the woman of my dreams.

I woke up to yet another different sensation. Every few seconds there was a gentle pressure on various parts of my body: my chest, my neck, my cheeks…. I opened my eyes to see a head of wavy brown hair hovering by my neck.

Bella's lips connected with my neck again and I felt my own lips split into a huge smile.

"Best way in the world to wake up," I muttered.

Her head shot up and she met my gaze. She looked happy, but she was biting her lip like she usually does when she's nervous. She must not have known how I would react to it.

My smile grew. I gently pushed a lock of hair out of her face. I leaned up and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"I mean it, love," I said. "I can't imagine a better way to wake up the morning after you told me you love me."

She smiled shyly back at me and answered my peck on the lips with one of her own.

"I love you, Edward," she whispered back. I went to kiss her more, but she turned away. She kissed my cheek and bolted out of the bed, heading right for the bathroom and slamming the door behind her.

I laughed as I heard her rummaging through her bag. "Bella," I called. "Please tell me you did not just get out of this bed so that you could brush your teeth."

The door shot open and Bella stuck her head out to glare at me. "I certainly did not, Edward Masen," she snapped. "For your information, I came in here so that I could br…" She trailed off and blushed.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked, smirking at her as I sat up. She glared at me, but didn't say anything. "Well, if you're not doing anything in there, you won't mind me stealing the space to take a quick shower."

I started to get up but Bella finally resented.

"No, don't!" she shouted, then sighed. She stared at one particular spot on the floor as she finally explained her actions. "I didn't want you to see me looking like a mess. I'm always a mess when I first wake up."

I cocked an eyebrow at her as she peeked at me, trying to gauge my reaction. "You don't look like a mess," I said simply. "But, if you really feel like you need to do this, fine." She smiled in relief, but blanched at my next words.

"But next time, you're mine."

"N-next time?" she stammered.

"Of course, Bella," I said happily. I got up and stopped in front of the bathroom door. She shut it a little more, effectively hiding her entire body except for her face and the very top of her neck. "Now, take as much time as you need. I'll make you some breakfast and then we'll spend some time together, just the two of us. How does that sound?"

She smiled brightly up at me. "That sounds perfect. Any idea what you'll be making?"

"Well, I haven't gone shopping in a while, so I think your options are obnoxiously sugary cereal or scrambled eggs," I admitted sheepishly.

"I've had enough fancy breakfasts to last a lifetime," she groaned. "A bowl of cereal sounds perfect."

I gently kissed her forehead before heading out to the kitchen to fix us both some cereal. The painted walls and scattered cooking supplies really did make a difference. The room seemed so much brighter, homier. I smiled as I pulled out the box of Cap'n Crunch and two bowls. I set them on the counter and started a pot of coffee.

Bella came in a few minutes later with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, wearing a fitted v-neck tee and a simple pair of lounge pants. She looked just as marvelous as she had the night before in the corset top and mini skirt.

"Mmm, it looks wonderful," she teased as she poured some milk into her bowl.

"Years of practice," I joked.

We sat at the small counter while we ate our sugar-coated breakfast. Neither of us spoke for a long time, not feeling the least bit awkward with each other. Bella finally looked over at me as she put her spoon down in her empty bowl.

"So, now what?"

"Well, it's just after one now. We slept pretty late. We can put in a movie and just hang out if your want, or I think there's a game on," I suggested. "Or we can just talk if you'd rather."

"You know, for living in the city so long, I've never had a chance to get involved in the sports," she said. "The game sounds like a good plan. Baseball, right?"

I laughed. "Yes, baseball."

We moved to the living room and I switched on the TV before we got settled on the couch. The game hadn't started yet, so Bella took the opportunity to ask me a few questions about the sport so that she wouldn't be confused. I answered everything as well as I could, but I wasn't really paying attention. I was more focused on _her._

Bella was very comfortably resting against me, her head perched on my shoulder. It was amazing that we could transition so easily from friends to something more. We'd always been affectionate with one another, but she'd never allowed herself to get too close. She was finally letting go around me and I couldn't have been happier.

That bubble of bliss just _had_ to be interrupted.

"Sorry I'm late, man," Emmett boomed as he stormed in. Bella flinched against me at the noise, but didn't move away. "Hangovers are not as easily dealt with anymore and—"

He broke off as he finally looked over at me and Bella cuddling on the couch.

"Hey Emmett," she said softly, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Holy… Rose!" he called back into the hallway.

"What are you yelling about? People in _Russia_ can hear you right now. Nothing can be that import… Oh, hey Bella," Rose said as she took in the sight before her. "I take it you didn't go back with Alice and Jasper last night then?" Bella shook her head. "Well, come on. You've got some explaining to do, missy." Rose flew over to the couch and grabbed Bella's arm, dragging her off to the guest room.

I stayed on the couch, trying to be as calm as possible. I knew Emmett would have questions for me too and there was no way I could put them off for very long.

My cousin hastily put his few bottles of beer in the fridge before joining me in front of the TV.

"So, you and Bella," he started suggestively. "What the fuck happened last night?"

"Nothing," I answered, not looking him in the eye. If I met his gaze, I would end up spilling my guts to him. I needed to keep some shred of privacy.

"I think there was a little more than nothing going on over here," he said.

"We talked for a little while and then went to bed. We got up, had breakfast, and then decided to watch the game. End of story."

"So the snuggling on the couch just happened randomly?"

I sighed and raked my fingers through my hair. "Can you just drop it, Em? I'm sure Rose will tell you everything later."

"Can you just tell me one thing first?"

"Okay…"

"Are you or are you not together? Like _together_ together," he asked.

"I really have no idea," I answered honestly.

Bella and I hadn't really gotten to the point of talking about what had happened the night before. If Emmett and Rose hadn't shown up for the game, we probably would have started talking by the third inning. Now if would just be awkward to try and have that conversation with my cousin and his girlfriend watching our every move. I supposed we would do it after the game when we were alone again.

"Well, that is just beyond unhelpful."

The two of us sat and watched the game while the girls talked. The Sox were up 2-1 in the bottom of the second when Rose dragged a tomato-red Bella back into the living room. Rosalie had obviously done something to embarrass her and I had a feeling it had to do with me. My sweet girl detached herself from Rose and ran back to me.

I put my arms around her and kissed the top of her head to let her know that she was safe.

"Don't let her take me again," she pleaded quietly into my shirt.

"I won't you out of my sight," I promised her.

"What did she tell you, Rosie?" Emmett asked excitedly.

Bella groaned and burrowed further into my side in her embarrassment. I just shook my head at my cousin's blunt nature.

"Nothing too useful," Rose grumbled as she sat on his lap. "They kept their clothes on the entire fucking night."

"You've got to be kidding me, Eddie!" he yelled. "You need to get laid, man."

Bella finally came out of her shell and glared at him. I had opened my mouth to answer him, but I let her take the lead.

"Emmett! Did you even take into account that maybe _he's _the one that said no?" she asked. He stared at her for a second, dumbfounded, before shaking his head. "No, you didn't. You probably also didn't consider the fact that maybe I'm not ready. Or a plethora of other reasons, the most applicable of which being that we just got together _last night_. Neither of us are the kind of people to just jump into sex. So stop making assumptions and let us dictate our own fucking relationship."

Now we were all staring at her a little stunned, but I had a huge grin on my face. Bella was starting to stand up for herself. She was _thinking_ for herself. I couldn't help but be proud of her.

It took a second for what happened to sink in. She looked over at me with wide eyes as if she was afraid that she'd done something wrong.

"Did I just yell at Emmett?" she whispered. I nodded, still smiling. "Did I just swear at him?" This time there was a chuckle accompanying my nod. "Oh, no. He's going to hate me," she said.

Emmett, oblivious to Bella's embarrassment, finally recovered. "Holy shit, Baby Bell," he said. "That was awesome! I didn't know you had it in you!" I groaned and looked to Rose for help. She nodded and smacked her boyfriend for me. "Jeez, baby. You didn't have to do it so hard," he complained, rubbing the spot where her hand had hit.

The four of us spent the rest of the afternoon watching the game and yelling at the TV until Papelbon pitched three home runs in the ninth and blew the lead. It was nice to have Bella with me and I had trouble keeping the smile off my face.

Bella caught me staring at her a few times and she blushed, but smiled in return. I would kiss her forehead before turning back to the TV, amazed that she was still in my arms.

I was sure that she would run away at any second and revert back to her previous comfort zone, to what she was used to, but then she would do something like randomly kiss the side of my neck or hurry back to me after a quick trip to the kitchen or to the bathroom and all my doubts would disappear. It was more than I could have ever hoped for and I was going to do anything I could to have it happen again and again.

Rose and Emmett left after the game, both of them giving me a wink and a smile as they walked out the door. Emmett reminded me that Esme had decided on our dinner being Wednesday night. Rose whispered something in Bella's ear as well, but Bella blushed and refused to tell me when I asked her about it.

She was saved from any devious plans that I could concoct in order to get the information out of her by her phone ringing, blaring the theme song from _Friends_.

"Hey Ali," she said as she picked up.

I sat on the couch somewhat impatiently. I didn't want any more of my time with Bella to be interrupted by the rest of the world, even if it was by her best friend. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long to figure out what the phone call was about. Unfortunately, however, that brought bad news.

"Hey, Edward?" Bella asked as she sat back down next to me. She didn't cuddle into me this time, choosing instead to sit cross-legged and face me. That alerted me to the fact that something was wrong.

"What's wrong?"

She sighed and played with her ring. Her fucking engagement ring.

I'd done so well forgetting that her family still believed she was getting married to that bastard and now it came crashing back to me, full force. I needed to get more evidence about James to get Bella out of that marriage, but she needed to bring it up to her parents too.

"I can't stay tonight," she finally said.

"Oh," I replied lamely.

"Look, it's not because I don't want because I do more than anything, but my mom called Alice and told her she'd booked some cake tasting or something that I have to be there for and it's tomorrow morning and-"

She stopped abruptly as her voice broke. The need to reassure her suppressed the irrational abandonment I felt creeping up.

I took her hand in mine and quickly raised it to my face. My lips pressed against her palm as my eyes kept contact with hers. This helped her get her breathing back in check, but she still had tears streaming down her face when she finally allowed me to wrap my arms around her.

"I don't blame you for having to leave, Bella," I told her. "I'll never blame you for that. You're loyal to your family and I respect that. If you need to go home, then you need to go home."

"But I _want_ to stay," she said as she looked into my eyes.

I smiled and slid my fingers into her hair before gently kissing her.

"I want you to stay too, love, but we can't. Unfortunately, you're still engaged and your parents believe that you're happy with that."

She sighed and rested her forehead against mine. "I want to just end it," she said. "I can't deal with him anymore and this ring is just a constant torment. I hate it, Edward."

"I know, love," I said. "But your parents don't understand that. You need to tell them soon."

"I know. I'll try," she assured me. "I promise I'll try."

We decided to go out for dinner since I really needed to go grocery shopping, but I didn't want to subject Bella to that. I could do it after work the next day. Plus, I didn't want to waste any more of our limited time together.

I smiled when I heard where Bella wanted to go. There was no way I could deny her that request. She quickly changed into something a little more appropriate for going out while I threw on a button-down shirt over my t-shirt.

It didn't take us long to get to New Moon Pizza. Bella stopped me outside the door at a point where no one inside could see us. She gave me a quick kiss before pulling back.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" I asked with a smile.

"Well, I have a feeling that Jake is going to be even worse about this than Rose was," she explained. "And the rest of the guys will probably swoop down on you while Jake is getting the scoop from me. I just wanted to give you something to remember me by in case I don't make it out of there alive."

"In that case, I think I deserve a little more," I teased.

I wrapped my arms around her and brought her right up against my chest. She squeaked in surprise, but my mouth quickly silenced her.

Bella responded eagerly to my kiss, her hands tangling in my hair and pulling my face even closer to hers. I was thankful that there didn't seem to be too many people walking along the street that night.

We were both panting when I finally pulled back.

"I think that might've done the trick," Bella said dazedly.

I didn't want to let the moment pass quite yet, so I dragged my nose lightly across her jaw-line until I reached her ear. I kissed the skin just behind it. "I certainly hope that we both get out of there unscathed so that I can do that again," I said in a low voice.

She shivered and I smiled at my small victory. It was nice to feel her finally reacting to me like that. She took a few deep breaths before removing herself from my arms. Before we went inside though, she took my hand in hers and entwined our fingers. I knew there had to be a goofy, triumphant smile across my face.

Jake was standing at the host podium looking completely and utterly bored. I felt badly for him until I remembered that it his night was about to get a bit more interesting.

He looked up when he heard the bells from the door and smiled when he saw the two of us.

"Thank god," he said. "I was afraid we were never going to get anyone in here. But since when do you two come in together? It's usually Edward sitting for like twenty minutes before Bella shows up and – Holy shit, _Embry!_"

He'd caught sight of our entwined hands and called for his boyfriend. Jake rushed over to us and started bombarding us with questions until Embry finally came out front and reined him in.

"What's going on out here?" he asked with a laugh.

"They're _together_," Jake said pointedly. "Like as a couple."

"Did they _say_ that they're together?"

"No, but look at them. Check out the manic grin on Mr. Emo over there."

"Hey," I protested. "I'm not _that_ bad."

"Obviously not anymore," Jake muttered.

Embry took his turn to scrutinize Bella and me. She started squirming under their watch and I instinctively put my arm around her waist. She calmed down instantly.

"Oh, yeah. They're definitely together," Embry laughed.

"Took you long enough to believe me," Jake huffed. Embry calmed him down with a quick kiss. "Well, this calls for some private talk. Come on, Bella."

She groaned as he pulled her to the back of the restaurant and away from me. I tried to hide my disappointment, but Embry caught it.

"You've got it bad," he teased.

"Yeah, well," I said sheepishly. "I love her."

"Remember that," he advised me. "Because the guys will probably want to rip you to shreds when they hear that you're with Bella."

"Great," I groaned.

I was surrounded by seven ridiculously jacked guys in under two minutes. Every single one of them looked like they wanted to rip my throat out. I always knew there had to be a catch to getting the one thing I wanted most in life, and that seemed to be the staff at New Moon Pizza. Apparently I could only have her for one day.

Embry stepped in front of me with a laugh. "Guys, you're gonna scare the crap out of him. Back the fuck up."

A few of them broke the façade and congratulated me, but Sam, Jared, and Seth were still looking at me like I was the spawn of Satan.

"Dude, she was _smiling_," Embry told them. "Not even faking it. We don't need to rip out his intestines."

"How do we know she's not just a better actress than she used to be?" Sam questioned.

"Are we talking about the same Bella? She can't even lie about what she had for breakfast," I replied without thinking. That earned me a sharp glare.

"Fine. Then how do we know you're not just using her for money?" Jared quipped.

"I have the inheritance from my parents sitting in the bank," I informed them. "Enough to live off for a few years, but I haven't touched it. I don't need to. I'm fine with what I earn."

That mollified Seth. He shrugged and moved back with the others, but Jared and Sam still didn't seem satisfied.

"What about James? Are you just here until she can get out of the marriage? Then you'll see that the catch isn't as much fun as the chase?"

"Of course not," I snapped. "I love her. I've loved her for three years and that's not about to change any time soon."

They were really starting to piss me off. I'd expected something like this, but they were going overboard with the interrogation. They'd seen me in here for years; how could they not believe that I loved her?

"Seriously, guys. Go see Bella. Get the story from her," Embry said, crossing his arms over his chest. I'd never seen him take charge like that, but they were all listening to him. "Both of you would have been laughing and joking with him if he'd come in alone. Nothing has changed. Just ask Bella."

Jared and Sam reluctantly went back to talk with Bella and Jake. Embry sighed and gave me an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that," he said. "They've always been protective of her, but they tend to take it a little overboard sometimes."

I shrugged it off, but I had a feeling that they wouldn't truly let it go until I'd proven myself. I had no way of knowing how to do that, though.

Jake finally let Bella go after about twenty minutes. She smiled as soon as she saw me and wrapped her arms around my middle when she got close enough.

"You survived," she said happily. She looked up at me and her eyes were shining. I couldn't remember a time when I'd seen her look happier.

"Of course I did," I said with a cocky smirk. I leaned down to whisper in her ear. "That kiss was just too good. If I'm not going to see you for a while, I need that again before I let you go tonight."

I felt her smile and she kissed my cheek before I straightened up.

"What are you doing on Tuesday?" she asked suddenly.

"Working. Why?" I questioned. She bit her lip and fiddled with the buttons on my shirt as she thought some more. "Bella, what are you thinking?"

"Well, I was thinking if you were free, then we could try and do something," she said. "My mom always goes to one of my grandmother's functions and my dad made Tuesday his poker night, so I have a lot of free time on Tuesday nights."

"Well, why didn't you mention that before? You've been holding out on me, Miss Swan," I teased. "Since you happen to have so much time on your hands, would you be partial to joining a lonely ol' tattoo artist for a night on the town?"

Bella raised her eyebrows at my horrible attempt at a Southern accent before she burst out laughing. She tried to muffle it in my shirt, but failed miserably.

I rolled my eyes and squeezed her gently to get her attention. "So, what do you say?"

"I thought you said you had to work," she said.

I shrugged, "I'll have Rose cover for me so I can leave early. Then I'll close the rest of the week. It's not a big deal. I'd much rather spend time with you anyway."

She nodded and smiled up at me and I couldn't help but smile in return.

"I love you," I whispered happily.

"I love you too, Edward," she said before resting her head on my chest.

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**AN: Now you know how Edward reacted. Finally. After a month of waiting.... So leave a review! I would love to know what everyone thinks! Seeing the alerts and favorites are great, and you guys have given me almost 10,000 hits, but reviews are better. :)**

**Next Chapter: The end of Bella and Edward's first day together, the cake tasting, and the first actual date!**

**Remember, the goal is before Christmas. If I don't make it, feel free to pummel my inbox with threatening messages. Maybe it will help me write faster. Feel free to PM me with any questions, comments, concerns, hopes, dreams, probing questions.... You get the picture.**

**-Kaylee**


	13. Adjusting

**AN: The day before Christmas.... I made it! I think this is the quickest I've ever posted a chapter (which I apologize for making you guys wait so long all the time). My beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, is the best and got it back to me this morning and now I pass it on to you wonderful readers! :)**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Never was, never will be. Damn....**

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**Chapter 11 – Adjusting**

BPOV

The night was over much too quickly. Alice and Jasper came to pick me up from Edward's less than an hour after we got back from New Moon Pizza.

I sat petulantly on Edward's couch with my arms crossed as he let my friends into the room. He just laughed at me, but I could tell that he felt just as reluctant to let me leave. We didn't want this day to end.

"Bella, you look like a three year old in the throes of a temper tantrum," Alice said when she saw me.

"Nah, I'd say the terrible twos would be more accurate," Jasper laughed.

"Thanks for the support, guys," I snapped.

Edward came back to the couch and wrapped his arms around me from behind. Without even thinking about it, I melded myself into his side and intertwined my fingers with his. He kissed my temple and I had to smile in response.

"Holy crap, you two look like you've been together a lot longer than a day," Jasper commented.

"Hopefully that's a good thing," Edward said.

"It's fuckin' adorable, that's what it is," Alice noted with a smile. She skipped over and sat, facing me, on the couch. "So? Tell me everything!"

I knew she was going to try that, but I didn't want to discuss that in front of Edward. Alice loved to go in-depth and get me to admit things I didn't even realize I knew yet. I didn't want to get into any probing details while Edward was still around.

"What?" I asked. "You want to know how you and Jasper were practically christening the backseat of his car while Edward and I so graciously brought you back to your place?"

Alice just shrugged it off. "Maybe it taught you a thing or two. Now tell me about this," she insisted, indicating me and Edward.

"Ali, you know she'll tell you eventually," Jasper put in. "Maybe you should let her wait until she's comfortable."

"She's never going to be comfortable while she's talking about it, so why does it have to be in a comfortable setting?"

She obviously didn't see the point. Jasper shrugged apologetically. He tried; that's what counted.

"You're not going to tell me right now, are you?" she pouted.

I shook my head and tried not to laugh. There was no way she was getting the information out of me yet.

"Fine. Be that way. We need to leave anyway. I promised your mom I'd have you home by eleven," Alice said.

"It's already quarter past ten," Edward whispered in a sad tone.

I leaned further back into him, not wanting to leave the comfort of his arms. Leaving meant going back to my screwed up family and impending nuptials.

But I knew we needed this. Edward had already set his plan in motion, but it was only in the beginning stages from the sounds of it. I needed to try to convince my parents without the evidence.

I just didn't want it to have to be right at that moment.

"I don't want to leave," I whined.

"Isabella Marie Swan, do you want me to show Edward those pictures that you wanted to burn?" Alice threatened.

"Shit, you have those?" I gasped.

"Yes, I do. They're hidden away so don't even try to go hunting for them," she said. "But if your ass is not out that door in two minutes, everyone will get to see them."

"You are evil, Alice Whitlock," I seethed.

"You still love me. Remember, two minutes or the pictures go public."

With that, Alice skipped back out of the apartment, dragging Jasper behind her.

"I guess that means I should let you go," Edward noted.

I sighed and turned to face him. "It's just not fair. If it weren't for my stupid mother, I wouldn't have to do anything in the morning and I'd be able to stay tonight."

"If it weren't for your mother, we might never have met, though," he said.

Damn it. He was right. My mother had set me up on another blind date that night. That was the only reason I was even walking alone then.

"Well, that doesn't count," I sputtered. "Or it shouldn't."

He chuckled and kissed my forehead. "Come on, your two minutes are almost up. I'll walk you out."

Alice glared at me when she saw Edward and I walking hand in hand toward Jasper's car.

"Wasn't the whole point of a deadline that you would come out alone so we could get back faster?" she inquired.

"We'll still make my mother's precious deadline," I snapped.

"Hey," Edward said quietly. He cupped my cheek with his hand and turned my head to look at him. "Don't bite her head off. She's just trying to make this easier."

I sighed and leaned into his hand. "I just don't want to go," I whispered.

"Tuesday," he reminded me.

"Tuesday," I agreed.

We kissed one last time – a sweet, chaste kiss – before I finally wrenched myself away from him. I didn't look away from him once as I moved to the car.

"I love you," I called just loud enough for him to hear.

"And I love you, Bella," he answered with a weak smile.

It took all of my self-control not to look back at him as we drove away. Alice and Jasper noticed my distress. Jasper didn't comment, thankfully. I didn't get quite so lucky with Alice.

"You look like someone just ran over your dog," she said.

"Feels more like someone ripped out my heart and left it back there," I grumbled.

"Wow, now you sound like I do when Jasper has to leave on a business trip," she added. "Like you could use a spoon and a pint of chocolate ice cream."

I sighed and rested my head against the window. "I just need to deal with it. I'm going to be away from him more often than not until I can get away from James," I said. "Edward's got his plan all set in motion, but I have yet to do anything. I need to at least _try_ to convince my parents." I thought about it for a second before scowling as I realized something. "Jasper, how come you never mentioned to your parents how much of an asshole your brother is?"

"Simple," he said. "No one would have believed me. They all knew he was a smartass, but he's also their golden boy. He can do no wrong to anyone, not just our parents. Plus, I didn't even realize quite how fucked up he was until Edward told me about the files."

Well, at least it was a valid excuse. I had a feeling no one would believe me either. My parents both knew how much I disliked James and would see my explanation of James' attitude as something I made up as a way to get out of the engagement.

I needed to bring it up before we found evidence, though. There would be no use in bringing it up out of the blue after Edward found enough evidence. If I didn't bring it up beforehand, then my parents would see all Edward's evidence as a fabrication.

My gaze fell on my engagement ring. Playing with it had become a nervous habit over the last few weeks. All I really wanted to do was rip it off my finger and throw it in some bottomless lake or never-ending cavern. It was a ridiculous, over-sized rock that didn't even look right on my hand. I'd always pictured something simple when I thought of my engagement ring, but now I had to deal with being trained as a trophy wife. There was no room for what I wanted.

For the first time in my life, I was ready to fight for what I wanted. I wanted the chance to be with Edward, unchallenged and unhindered. I would deal with the consequences of that decision when the time came.

"Bella, you zoned out," Alice said. "We're back at your place."

I looked up at the building and grimaced. We had pulled up in front of my parent's house. It was time to leave my perfect world and head back to reality.

"Alright, I'll see you guys later, I guess," I mumbled as I got out of the car.

"Hey, Belly?" Jasper called.

I turned around to see that he'd rolled down the window.

"Yeah?"

"We're not gonna let them win. You know that, right?"

I smiled at him. "Thanks, Jasper," I said before I turned to go inside.

My mother was waiting just inside for me. She had a watch out and was counting down the minutes.

"What? You finally decided to enforce a curfew? Nice, Mom," I said as I tried to go past her and up to my room. She grabbed my arm and led me toward the dining room.

"Not so fast, Isabella," she said. "We need to go over some things before the tasting in the morning."

She spent a half hour poring over different brochures and bridal magazines for reviews. I must have looked at two hundred cakes that had minute differences. There was no way I would taste that many cakes at ten in the morning on a Monday.

I was exhausted by the time she finally let me go to my room. Not even the pull of my favorite books could get me away from my bed once I was laying on the sheets.

Yet even as I got under the covers and tried to sleep, it wouldn't come. I tossed and turned for another half hour before I noticed the sketch on my bedside table. My mind jumped to thoughts of Edward and our time together.

I had grabbed my cell phone and was dialing before I even realized it.

"Bella? Is something wrong?" he said, worried.

"I love you," I said simply.

"I love you too. Is something wrong?"

I sighed and settled back into my bed. "I can't get to sleep. My mind is everywhere…. My mother had me look at hundreds of cakes and we aren't even going until tomorrow! I don't even want to be doing this and it makes it ten times worse than it would be otherwise and-"

"Shh, it's okay, Bella," he said softly. His voice was calm and soothing. I took a deep breath, amazed that he could have that effect on me with just his voice. "Everything will be okay, Bella. I promise."

"I know," I said. "This is just so stressful. I need to just tell them, but I know they won't believe me…"

"That's what my plan is for. Once I have more information, there's no way they can just ignore it," he said.

"Right," I agreed. "And we'll still be able to see each other. We have Tuesday. We can spend as much time as we want together after about four. That's when my mother leaves and my father won't get home from work until about five, but he never worries about me like my mother does."

"That's perfect," Edward answered happily. "Just let me know when your mother leaves and I'll come pick you up. Then we'll come back to my place until it's time to go."

"Go? Where are we going?" I asked. He'd sparked my curiosity. I would be happy with whatever he had planned, but the cryptic way he'd brought it up made me a bit nervous.

"Ah, see, that I can't tell you."

"Edward… you know I hate surprises."

"Yes, but I'm hoping you'll enjoy this one once we get there. But it needs to stay a surprise. Please let me do this."

I bit my lip as I thought about it. On the one hand, I really despised surprises. Most of them when I was younger consisted of my mom bring me to debutante training or finishing school. I hated every minute of it. I hated the poofy dresses, the three-hour long salon trips, the endless parties, the never-ending social functions… I just wanted out.

But on the other hand, this was Edward. Edward was nothing like my mother. He was doing this for me, not indirectly for himself. I could trust him. He'd been sweet to me since the moment I met him. For ages he'd been bringing me a change of clothes after horrendous blind dates. He didn't even want anything in return except to know I was safe. This wasn't some hare-brained scheme to get in my pants. He really cared. I owed him this, at the very least.

I sighed, "Okay, I'll wait. But I at least need a hint for how to dress."

"Just dress however you'll be comfortable. It'll be a fairly casual evening," he said. It was completely obvious that he was thrilled by my acceptance. I don't think he realized that I was about to deny him anything.

"So, showing up in sweats and sneakers would be fine?" I teased.

"I don't know about that," he said dubiously. "At that point you may as well just show up naked. Of course, then we'll be forced to stay at my place and I won't even be able to show you the surprise…"

His voice had dropped to a husky tone by the time he trailed off. I found myself breathing heavier and there was an interesting tingle in the pit of my stomach. It took me a minute to realize that I was turned on by his voice alone. I didn't even know that was possible.

"And would you be partial to that?" I managed to choke out.

"There is nothing I would like more," he said softly. Then he groaned and I heard a thump on his end of the line. A distinct creak let me know that he was in his bed. "Bella, I swear you're going to be the death of me."

I bit my lip and smiled at the tone of his voice. "Should I take that as a compliment?" I asked innocently.

I'd been around Alice and Jasper enough to know the difference between a light-hearted joke and serious arousal. With them, I'd just taken the first chance to run away and leave them alone. But I'd made Edward have this reaction about me.

With all the scantily clad women he probably had crawling all over him at the shop, he still chose me. It amazed me that he could love me, but I wasn't about to throw it away or deem it impossible. I would embrace it and hold onto it for as long as I could.

His breathing had grown even heavier in my ear and I heard him groan again. "Bella, you need to stop," he pleaded. "I don't want to go this fast and if you keep that up…"

"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I mean, I didn't mean to. But just so you know, you seem to have a similar effect on me."

Edward sighed and I had to bite back a chuckle. "I have half a mind to come over there and rip all your clothes off," he muttered. I gasped at his words, the sound of his voice and the images his words had created going straight to my center. He wasn't even trying. "Shit, Bella, you weren't supposed to hear that…"

I bit my lip and tried to think of a good answer. "It's fine, Edward," I answered quietly. "I kinda… liked it."

This time he moaned. "Bella…."

"I'm sorry. I'll stop, I promise," I said with a giggle.

"I'm never going to get to sleep now, love," he teased.

So I'm not allowed to tease, but he is? I thought.

"And maybe that was the point," I teased right back.

He sighed. I thought it sounded like a happy sigh. "I love you, my Bella," he whispered.

I smiled and resisted the urge to squeal like a little girl. "I love you too," I said. "And you have no idea how much I wish I could be there with you right now."

"I know. But we'll be together on Tuesday," he reminded me. "And you know you can call or text me whenever. I'll have my phone on me all day tomorrow."

"What if you're with a customer?" I countered.

"I will still feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and the second I put the needle down, you will get a response. I promise you," he reassured me sincerely.

"You don't have to do that, Edward. I understand that you need to worry about things other than me throughout the day."

"Well, worrying about you has become an essential part of my life these past few years," he laughed. "I'm not about to stop now."

"Alright then. I won't try to completely change your lifestyle."

I tried to stifle a yawn, but Edward clearly heard it.

"Go to sleep, Bella," he coaxed softly. "You've got a long day tomorrow and it wouldn't do well for you to fall asleep in a plate of cakes."

"You're right," I sighed. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you too, Bella. Sweet dreams, love."

I was finally able to fall asleep shortly after I hung up the phone. I clutched the phone to my chest as I tried to remember the feeling of Edward's arm around me from the night before.

My alarm went off much earlier than I would have liked the next morning. With the imminent cake tasting appointment, my mother wanted me ready as soon as possible. Why that meant two hours before the scheduled appointment time, I had no idea, but it gave me a perfect opportunity to bring up my aversion to James.

We were seated at the table looking over even more brochures for cakes. My mind had started wandering only three minutes into the one-sided discussion. The text from Edward wishing me luck for the day reminded me of what I wanted to talk to my mother about.

"Hey, Mom?" I interrupted hesitantly.

"What, sweetie? Am I going too fast, I'm sorry," she said.

"No, uh, I actually wanted to talk to you about something really quick," I said.

"Oh, okay."

"You're not going to like it, Mom," I warned her. "So please, don't yell or anything. Just try to see it from my side."

"Okay, now you're scaring me, honey," she said cautiously. "You're not pregnant, are you? Oh, that would ruin everything. It's not anything like that, right?"

"No, Mother, I am not pregnant," I said with as much force and finality as I could manage. "It's nothing like that. It's just that… Well, you know I've never really been overly thrilled about marrying James, right?"

"Yes…"

"Well, I've been even less comfortable with that idea lately."

"Oh, Isabella, don't even think about-"

"You said you'd listen," I snapped. She stopped at my tone and slowly lowered herself into a chair near me. "Sorry. I just need to get this out. James… James is not a good person, Mom. He's an abuser who's gotten away with it because he's bought off his victims. He cheats on every girl he dates. I didn't love him before and now I know I never will because of those things."

"Honey, I'm sure those are just rumors to make him seem more mysterious," she said, patronizingly patting my hand. "And people in situations like ours have relationships on the side all the time. I'm sure it will be fine. You don't need to love him to have a good marriage."

I felt my jaw drop in response, but my mother went right back to her brochures like nothing out of the ordinary had happened in the last few seconds.

The rest of the morning didn't get any better. I tasted cake after cake and after the tenth one, they all started to taste the same. My mother pressed me for my opinion on each one and I kept going back to the only one that tasted any different back at the beginning. Two hours and a cake-filled stomach later, we were finally on our way back home.

I lay on my bed curled up with a book for the rest of the day. I'd fulfilled my commitment for the day and I wouldn't step foot downstairs until it was time for dinner. I felt like an irrational, rebellious teen, but I was sick of my mother not listening to me and I just wanted time to myself.

Edward and I exchanged a few texts, but it was a surprisingly busy day and he couldn't talk for long. He made sure to throw a heart or an "I love you" at the end of each one, though. It made me smile every time.

Tuesday night couldn't come fast enough.

I made it through dinner barely saying anything. I didn't dare bring up James again with my father when I thought of how my mother had reacted exactly as I'd feared. It was out in the open now, so that was all I really needed to do. I just had to hope that Edward's plan would work.

Tuesday seemed to creep by even as I was freaking out about Edward's surprise. I called Alice when I realized that I had absolutely no idea what to wear. Usually, I just needed someone to zip me into a dress and Alice was there anyway, but this wasn't as simple as one of my mother's ridiculous cocktail parties. I just needed something casual tonight.

Usually when I was with Edward, I'd wear whatever I had the motivation to pull on that morning. I had no thoughts toward putting an actual outfit together, but I needed to try to look good and have it be effortless for whatever surprise Edward had planned.

I was trying to decide between two ensembles I'd thrown together when Alice walked into my room.

"Please tell me those aren't actual options," she gasped.

"Well, yeah," I sighed. "He said I could go as casual as I wanted, so I figured jeans and a t-shirt would be fine."

"It would be fine if it wasn't a date," she explained. "But since it is, you need to try a little harder. Now let's see…"

She went straight for my closet after reviewing what I had on the bed. In two minutes flat, she had my favorite pair of jeans paired with a vintage fitted tank top and a dark brown sweater. Before she could stick my feet in a pair of stilettos, I grabbed my old, worn Chucks from under my bed.

"Ah, that's actually what I was looking for," she said proudly. "Good job, Bella."

By three o'clock, I was ready. Alice gave me strict orders not to move until Edward came, but I told her I at least needed to be downstairs so that I could know when my mother left. She conceded to that when I told her I would just sit on the couch and read.

"Don't have too much fun tonight, Belly," she teased as she walked out.

I rolled my eyes and settled into the couch for a while.

My mother walked out of the house at 3:52. Before the door closed, I had my phone out and a smile plastered on my face as I dialed Edward's number.

"Hey," he said happily.

"Hi," I replied. "She just left."

"Okay, I'll be over in a few. Love you."

"Love you too," I said before we ended the call.

I grabbed my purse before I headed out to the point that I'd agreed to meet Edward. We couldn't meet in front of my place since too many people knew I was engaged to James.

Edward pulled up a few minutes later and we were off to his apartment. The same security guard from the other night was stationed in the lobby once again. He smiled at us politely and his smile grew when he noticed our hands clasped together.

It was hard for me to believe that just the other day I'd been thinking about what it would be like to walk into Edward's apartment building like this with him on a regular basis. Now it looked like it would actually happen. That thought made me smile.

"What is it with you and the lobby of my apartment building? It's like a switch flips in your mind after you cross a certain point and then you're all smiles," Edward said with a laugh. "Will you ever explain it to me?"

I decided it would be good to tell him. Relationships were built on being honest, after all.

"Well, when we came in on Saturday, the same guard was out there," I started. "He saw your arm around me and he obviously thought we were a couple even then. Well, actually he probably thought we were going to be doing something really naughty since I had to have been about ten different shades of red."

I hadn't even noticed that the elevator had come, but Edward took advantage of that. He quickly pulled me in and hit the button for his floor and the "close door" button before he pressed me into the back wall of the elevator.

"Maybe I should go tell Old Gregg about the really naughty things you said on the phone the other night," he whispered in my ear.

I gasped and melted against him. He certainly knew how to get a reaction out of me. He'd probably been letting the ideas build up inside him for the past three years. We would have to explore those….

"How about you just tell me?" I whispered back.

His gaze flew to mine and our eyes were locked. The green in his eyes had darkened to a deep emerald. His breathing way labored, and he didn't make a move away from me.

Finally, the elevator beeped and the door opened to reveal his floor. Edward sighed and raked a hand through his hair, messing it up even more than usual. He took a deep breath before leading me over to his door.

When we were successfully situated on his couch, our breathing finally slowed and Edward kissed my temple.

"Do I get to know the rest of your thoughts?" he asked.

"Well, I started thinking about how nice it would be to actually walk into the building with you like that more often as an actual couple," I said, looking up at him. He smiled and pushed some hair behind my ear. "It wasn't the first time I'd thought about something like that either. But today, I was thinking that it was actually happening. And that made me happy."

"It makes me happy too, Bella," he said.

I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder, content to just be with him and not move. This was where I wanted to be.

I let the real world fall to the wayside and focused solely on my time with Edward. Nothing else mattered.

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**AN: *peeks out from behind the corner* I know I said it would have the date... But would you rather have waited an extra few days to have it, or get a decent length chapter now without it? You probably want it, but that's okay. I kept my promise and that's what counts for me. **

**Next chapter: The date (I swear), more of Edward's plan, and some fluff.**

**I know it's the holidays, but please, please, please take two seconds to review! If you have time to read it, you have time for a tiny review! I really want to know what you think. :)**

**Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Festivus, Happy whatever it is you could possibly celebrate this time of year,  
-Kaylee**


	14. The Princess and the Stable Boy

**AN: Still less than a month, guys. I'm not doing too bad. This chapter was hard to get through because I wasn't feeling too well for about a week. But it's done now and I'm pretty happy with it. There were some things I wanted to get into this chapter that didn't make it (more about Edward's plan, but that _will_ be in the next chapter). Everyone who wants to see the engagement end right this second, hang in there. Please. It's happening soon, I promise.**

**I would like to once again thank my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, for getting this back to me the next day. Also, a huge thanks to everyone who has been reviewing. I got a record of 15 for the last chapter. Can we break that with this chapter? Maybe? Please?**

**And, finally, as much as I would love to have the kind of money she has, I'm not Stephenie Meyer, so I don't own Twilight. I do own this plotline, though.**

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**Chapter 12 – The Princess and the Stable Boy**

EPOV

I didn't sleep at all Sunday night. After I got off the phone with Bella, I was too worked up to do anything. The pole between my legs was making even sitting difficult, but I wouldn't have given up that phone call for anything.

Nothing could have prepared me for the feelings that crashed over me with Bella's teasing. I thought the way I reacted to her on a normal day was bad, but when she started insinuating things that led my mind straight to the gutter, all bets were off. I was hard as a rock in seconds flat from just her _voice_.

I pulled down the sketchbook I kept on my bureau and started drawing a new tattoo design. When I started drawing, I wasn't sure that I even knew what it was going to be. My hand seemed to be moving on its own. Soon enough, an angel started to form. She was weary and rundown, her robe in tatters and her wings drooping. Yet her face was full of hope because of what she held in her hands. A white rose, tipped with a hint of pink. The symbol for pure love and desire. The rose was the only thing in color.

I knew exactly where I wanted it, but I wanted to wait. I wanted to be able to share the design with Bella so she would know that she inspired it. She needed to know the impact she had on my life. This revelation needed to wait for the perfect time.

Satisfied with the design, I stuck it in one of the empty frames I had – one of the empty frames that was waiting to be filled with a picture of Bella. I smiled as I ran my fingers over the edge. I would have to remember to ask her about the mortifying pictures Alice was holding hostage. It would be nice to at least get a glimpse of them before Bella burned them.

Monday was a surprisingly hectic day at Twilight. A gaggle of coeds sauntered in wanting matching bellybutton rings. Thankfully Rose was handling the piercings that day. Subsequently, a group of frat boys from the same local college came in hoping for something to remember their crazy lives by before they left for the real world. None of them took too long, but there were a good number of them. At the very least, I knew we'd get a good tip from the quiet one because he kept giving me apologetic looks for how the rest of his brothers were acting.

The business kept me from coming up with good ideas for my date with Bella. It didn't slow down until after seven o'clock, and I was glad we'd called in both of the interns.

I threw a couple of Hot Pockets into the microwave we kept in the back room. The other guys could handle the front, so Rose sat with me, eating the second half to the sandwich she'd ordered for lunch. Neither of us really spoke for a while, but Rose was the first to break the silence.

"So, how was your time with the fair princess?" she teased.

I chuckled. "Better than any lowly stable boy deserves," I said. Then I sighed. "I didn't want to let her go."

Rose scoffed. "Of course you didn't. She finally told you she loved you. When Emmett and I finally told each other, we didn't leave the bed for the entire weekend except to eat."

"Thanks, Rose. Great pep talk."

"Hey, at least I didn't go into detail. I have a feeling that would get me hurt."

"Damn straight," I nodded.

"So, when are you seeing her again?" Rose asked as she continued eating.

The thought of seeing Bella again made me smile. "Her parents have standing obligations on Tuesday evenings, so she suggested spending time out tomorrow night," I said. The smile fell off my face when I realized that I had no plan for our outing. "I have no idea what to do with her though…"

Rose cocked an eyebrow at me. "Seriously? You can't think of _anything_?"

"I haven't had time," I protested. "There have been kids in and out of here all day-"

"I love how you call them kids when they're barely five years younger than you," she pointed out.

"-and I haven't had a chance to even _think_ all day," I finished as if she hadn't said anything.

"Fine, fine," she conceded, lifting her hands in surrender. "Well, what time are you picking her up?"

"She said her mom is leaving at about four and she wants to leave before her dad gets home," I relayed. "So probably right after her mom leaves."

"Well, nothing date-worthy really starts until after six, so why don't you start by just hanging out at your place? That way she'll have a bit of an adjustment period before you go out," Rose suggested.

"That is a great idea, but it doesn't cover the actual date event."

Rose shrugged. "Check the paper or something. They post the schedule for town events in there. If there isn't anything interesting there, just take her to dinner and a movie. Hell, she probably wouldn't even care if you stayed at your place and got frickin' take out."

"No, it has to be something good," I groaned. "I mean, amazing. I made her believe I already had something planned."

"You have got to be kidding me," she laughed. "Oh, that's great. Now it needs to be ten times better at least. She'll have expectations now."

We spent the next few minutes throwing ideas off each other, but each idea seemed to be worse than the last. Finally Pete came in to ask us if he could take his break.

"Oh shit, Pete, I'm sorry," I said, looking at the clock. "I'm just trying to come up with a good place for a date."

"I didn't even know you were seeing anyone," Pete answered, surprised.

"It's fairly new, so don't worry about it," I said. "Although, if you have any ideas on where I can take her tomorrow night, I would very much appreciate it."

"Tomorrow? Well, there is that dinner theater on the other side of town that runs on Tuesday nights," he said. "I'm not really sure what's showing this week, but I've heard that it's a huge hit. You can check the site out later."

I nodded and chuckled. "Well, I'll definitely keep it in mind. Thanks, Pete."

"See? Dinner and a movie. Never fails," Rose gloated.

"Thanks, Rose," I hissed.

I pulled out my infrequently used laptop when I got back to my apartment. It was a few years old, so it took a few minutes to boot up and connect to the internet. No wonder I never used it…. It was definitely time to get a new laptop.

The website for the Eclipse Dinner Theatre was primitive and looked like the designer hadn't felt the need to change his design since the mid 90's. Despite that, it looked like it could be something Bella would really enjoy. It wasn't a big, corporate conglomerate-run chain. It was a small, family-run business that catered to locals and small parties. It was perfect.

I picked up the phone and quickly made a reservation for the next day. The hostess informed me that there was a fairly private table available when I asked. I requested that it be kept open for us and explained that I was trying incredibly hard to impress my date. She laughed and told me she understood completely.

It was nice to go to bed that night knowing that I'd made plans for a date. A date with Bella. It was the greatest feeling to know that I would get to see her for hours the next day without needing to lie to her parents.

The next day at work was horribly slow. I sent Pete and Drew home after an hour, not wanting them to be bored out of their minds. I took to flipping through the sketchbooks we had laid out to pass the time.

"Thinking about getting a new one?" Rose inquired.

"Yeah, but not one of these."

"You have a sketch already?"

I nodded and closed the book. "Yeah, I drew it the other night. But don't ask me to show it to you. It's a secret for now."

She raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. How many will that make, then?"

"Let's see, the tribal, the three Chinese symbols, the star, the phoenix, and the rings. So this would be the eighth," I counted.

"Not bad for a tattoo artist," Rose teased.

"Says the one who only has two," I teased right back.

She just shrugged. "Had no reason to get more."

By three o'clock, I had finished a whole two appointments and one walk-in, and I was getting increasingly impatient. I started pacing around the small waiting area while Rose perched herself on the counter. I continuously glanced at the clock on the wall.

It read 3:05… 3:10… 3:13….

"If I have to duct tape you to a chair to get you to stop pacing, I'll do it," she stated after a while.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?"

"Calm the fuck down. It's not like she's going to just cancel all of a sudden," she said. "Just take a deep breath and remember that you get to see her. And you're not waiting, like, a month like usual."

"I know," I said with a sigh. "I guess I'm just… nervous. I haven't been on a real date in over five years. I've spent so much time trying to lock other people out that I'm not even sure how to act in a social situation."

"Edward," she said, stepping in front of me. She grabbed my face to make sure that I was looking at her while she spoke to me. "I'm only saying this once, so listen up. That girl loves you. I have a feeling she loved you before you started getting back into the world. She won't care if you stumble all over yourself trying to make the night perfect. She'll be glad for the effort and happy to be spending time with you."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right. Everything will be fine."

"Thank god you finally got that one through your thick skull," she grumbled.

While thinking about Bella, the time seemed to fly. I jumped when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

"Hey," I said cheerily. Rose just laughed from behind the counter. She knew exactly who was on the other line.

"Hi," Bella replied. "She just left."

I grabbed my keys from behind the counter, smiling as I said, "Okay, I'll be over in a few. Love you."

"Love you too," she said almost dreamily as we ended the call.

Rose was shaking her head, smiling softly, as she watched me rush around to make sure I was ready. "Just go," she said. "Remember what I said."

"Right. Everything will be fine," I said after a deep breath. Then I threw a grin in Rose's direction. "Thanks, Rosie. You're the best." I kissed her on the cheek before running out of the shop and going to pick up the love of my life for our first date.

We spent a lot of the time at my apartment just lying on my couch. We talked about everything. Bella asked about the people I'd marked in the past couple days. I asked her about the book she was reading and finally brought up the subject of the pictures she wanted to burn.

Bella sighed as she looked up at me. She was leaning against me, her back against my chest and her head on my shoulder. "Remember when I told you about the awkward years?" she asked. I nodded cautiously. "Alice managed to get a few that were the most awkward of the bunch. When we were still in school, I helped out on a lot of the theater productions. There was one rehearsal every year when the tech crew would do a dress rehearsal since we all knew the words. When we did _Into the Woods_ our freshman year, Alice threw me into her Cinderella costume. She's supposed to be a beautiful, confident woman and I made her look like something from _Scary Movie_. I hate her for keeping those."

I couldn't help but chuckle in response. The glare Bella shot at me only proved to exacerbate my laughter. "Bella, love, I bet you were beautiful. Even with all the ashy smudges on your face."

"You've seen _Into the Woods_?" she inquired, amazed.

"No," I quickly stated. "But I don't think any kid growing up when we did missed the memo on the classic fairy tales. Even the guys."

I kept checking the time to make sure we wouldn't miss our reservation. Bella noticed and sat up.

"I'm assuming the surprise has a time stamp on it," she said.

"And you would be completely correct in that assumption," I replied.

"Do I get any hints?" She pouted a bit and ran her fingers gently up and down my chest. I had to take a few deep breaths to keep myself from lying her down and kissing her senseless. The facts that her sweater was loose enough to hang away from her body slightly and her tank top was low enough that the top of her breasts were visible did not help at all.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her fingers up to my lips. "Sweetheart, I asked you to let me do this for you," I said quietly.

She huffed and slumped a bit, no longer holding herself confidently. "I just hate surprises," she grumbled.

I chuckled and pulled her back against me again. "I really hope you like this one," I said as I kissed the side of her head.

She started to get antsy around six-thirty. Whenever my eyes glanced at the clock, she turned to look at me, silently asking if it was time to go. By six-fifty, she'd had enough.

"When the hell is this time stamp, Edward?"

"We need to be there for seven-thirty, but we can get there up to fifteen minutes before," I answered without giving too much away. "It doesn't take very long to get there, so we don't need to leave too soon."

"But we can get there early?" she asked.

"Yes, we can. But we'll be too early if we leave before seven."

"Well, it's six-fifty-five now. I say we leave at seven."

"Okay. Seven it is," I agreed begrudgingly.

Bella smiled up at me and kissed my cheek before getting up, stating that she needed to do something quickly before we left.

A few minutes later, we were back in my car, Bella's hand nestled in mine, as we drove across town. We timed it perfectly, barely hitting any traffic. Bella's grip tightened on my hand when I pulled into a space to the side of the building. I rubbed my thumb over her knuckles to calm her down.

"Come on, love," I coxed. "We're here." She nodded, but looked a little scared. She wouldn't let go of my hand. "Bella, what's wrong?"

"It looks like the alley," she whispered.

I looked around and I realized what she was talking about. The tiny stretch of road we would walk along to get to the front of the building allowed for little light to get through and the building was made similarly to the ones from the alley. I'd parked on the side of the building to make it more of a surprise. I hadn't thought of what it would remind her of.

I couldn't let her focus on that.

"Bella," I said.

She wouldn't look at me. It didn't look like she was even breathing. I cupped her cheek and she finally started to react. Her breathing was quick and shallow and her eyes were full of terror. Her free hand reached up and clutched the hand I had against her cheek.

"Bella," I repeated. She finally looked at me. "There is absolutely nothing to worry about here. I won't let anything happen to you. I love you, Bella, and I can't bear to see anything happen to you. I promise that nothing will happen. When we get to the front of that building, you will see other couples, smiling and having a grand old time. There is no reason to be scared."

"Edward," she whispered. A single tear fell from her eyes. The fear was still there, but she was also radiating her love for me. She needed that reassurance. "Thank you," she added in a whisper.

I leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips. I warned her that I was going to get out of the car. She nodded and took a deep breath before letting go of my hands.

For the entire twenty-yard walk to the front of the building, I kept my arms around Bella as she walked in front of me. I whispered in her ear, reminding her how much I loved her, and pressed my lips against her temple to emphasize my point. She laced her fingers with mine and was making a conscious effort to breathe evenly.

It didn't take very long for us to reach the front. As soon as the light reached Bella's eyes, she sagged into my arms. I led her to one of the benches in front and pulled her onto my lap, just holding her.

Bella looked up at me once her breathing was in check. She pressed her lips to the side of my neck and muttered her extreme gratitude in between professing her love. I kissed her forehead tilted her chin up so that I could look her in the eyes.

"Are you okay, Bella?" I asked.

"I'm wonderful now, Edward," she whispered, smiling.

"I'm glad. I'm sorry about that, love. I didn't realize that it would bring up those memories and I am so sorry."

Before I could say anything else, Bella put her hand over my mouth. "You make it worth the pain, Edward. I wouldn't have believed anyone else."

I kissed her palm before she lowered it from my face.

"I love you," I said. "Always."

"I love you forever," she answered.

"So, can I show you my surprise now?"

"Lead the way."

We walked to the front entrance of the building. I kept Bella close enough to the wall that she couldn't see the sign out front and give away my surprise. When we finally got inside, Bella turned to me.

"Okay, I give up. What is this place?" she asked.

"It's a restaurant and a theater," I explained. "Once a week, they have a dinner – specifically a romantic, candlelit dinner – that is immediately followed by a movie in the screening room on the far side of the building."

Bella's face lit up at my expression and I knew right then that I'd picked the perfect destination.

"Edward, this is perfect!" she squealed, throwing her arms around me.

I squeezed her back quickly and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'm glad you like it love, but we need to check in before they give our table away." I walked over to the hostess podium, keeping one arm around Bella's waist. "Reservation for two under Masen, please."

The hostess smiled at us, and double checked my name on the list. She paused – probably taking note of my request for the semi-private table – before leading us to our table. It was tucked away in a corner behind one of the trellises that hid the kitchen entrance. It was perfect.

"You totally asked for a private table, didn't you?" Bella whispered in a teasing lilt.

I kissed the side of her head, not even trying to hide the smile on my face. "Of course I did, love. No need to share this night with more people than I have to," I whispered in reply.

Dinner passed smoothly. I held Bella's hand through the whole thing and purposefully ordered something I could eat with one hand. She tried to pull back when our food arrived, but my grip tightened. She looked surprised for a moment but smiled when she recognized my intention. Our conversation continued with little hesitation.

"What do the Chinese symbols on your arm mean?" she asked about halfway through the meal.

I hadn't realized that she could see them, but, sure enough, I'd rolled my sleeves up enough that she could see the line of symbols on my forearm. It surprised me when she never asked about them over the three years we'd known each other. I wasn't about to keep the information from her, though.

"There are three. And please don't laugh. They mean love, remembrance, and hope," I said, pointing to each one in turn.

She didn't laugh. She looked at the symbols thoughtfully. "You got them for your parents, didn't you?" she inquired.

I smiled and gently squeezed her hand. "I started realizing what a fuck-up I was, but I couldn't stop it. I had hoped getting these would help. It only got worse as time went on, but the actual process of getting the tattoo was like a balm for the pain. It kept me from starting something worse."

"How many do you have?"

"If you count each of these as one, then there are seven."

Bella nodded. "Do they all refer somehow to your parents?"

"No," I answered. "The tribal on my shoulder was a desperate attempt to get through de-toxing from the marijuana. It was actually what helped the most."

"Then I'm glad you got it," she said. "It still means something even if it doesn't fit with the rest of them."

"I'm actually thinking of getting another one soon," I said casually.

Bella's grip tightened on my hand and her eyes flashed to mine. "Is that your way of telling me you've been thinking about doing drugs again?"

I was stupid for bringing it up like that. I'd just got done saying I did it as a form of catharsis to avoid getting dragged back into an addiction; of course she'd be worried.

"No, love. That's not what I meant. This one is inspired by something completely different than pain," I assured her.

She sighed in relief and a small smile graced her lips. "Good. Would you, um… will I get to see the design before you get it done?" she asked nervously.

I smiled and raised her hand. My lips lightly grazed her knuckles. "Of course, love," I said. "You'll be the first."

We kept to lighter subjects for the rest of the meal. Bella mentioned that Alice was talking about having another group outing. We brainstormed some ideas in an attempt to stay away from the club scene again. We also discussed the impending dinner with my relatives the next day. I was still nervous about it, but Bella assured me that everything would be fine.

"The movie will begin in ten minutes," one of the waiters announced once all the dessert orders had been handed out. "Please make your way into the back room at your leisure."

"Are you going to tell me what movie it is?" Bella asked hopefully.

I just smirked as I helped her up from the table. "Sorry, Bella, no can do."

We followed the other groups toward the back of the building. I knew what to expect in the theater, but Bella gasped when we went in.

"This is not a theater," she mumbled. "This is an over-sized living room."

"Personally, I think this is better than traditional stadium seating," I whispered to her.

The room was designed for a romantic viewing experience. There were loveseats set up with enough space between them to give privacy. Most had blankets draped over the back and I laughed to myself, knowing that they would be put to good use. Ours definitely would if Bella didn't object.

She apparently had plans of her own because she grabbed my hand and walked with purpose once she decided on the perfect seat.

"You look like you're on a mission, love," I laughed as she inspected the loveseat she'd picked.

"I am. You can't appreciate a movie without the perfect seating arrangement," she informed me. I called her name, but she kept going. "I mean, what if you're at a bad angle? Then everything looks wrong. Next to the wrong people? You can't hear a damn thing. Too close? Everything is distorted and you're craning your neck too much. You should know this, Edward."

I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her waist. "The perfect seat doesn't matter as long as you're with me," I crooned in her ear, my lips grazing her neck. She melted into my arms and I knew I'd won.

I sat down first before pulling her down to rest her back against my chest. She sighed contentedly while she got comfortable.

"You're right," she said, smiling up at me. "This is the perfect seat."

"I'm glad you agree. Now, do you think we'll need the blanket?"

The waiter came in again and announced the start of the movie. As the first frames graced the screen, Bella grabbed my hand in a death grip.

"Edward, is this what I think it is?"

"What do you think it is?" I chuckled.

She waited a few seconds before squealing as quietly as she could manage. "Oh my god, it is _The Princess Bride_. I haven't seen this in _years_." She turned and gave me a lingering kiss. "Thank you, Edward," she added, her lips still brushing mine.

We kissed for another few minutes until she heard the grandfather on screen start the story. She settled back against my chest and pulled my arms around her.

I'd seen the movie before thanks to Rosalie, so I was able to spend my time focusing on Bella. Her breathing would quicken as her favorite parts came on. She would sigh whenever something particularly romantic happened. She actually hid her face in my shoulder when Humperdinck threw the machine up to level fifty. I tightened my arm around her and pressed my lips to her temple.

As the movie came closer to the climax, Bella started to tense up. Her arms were hugging her chest tightly as I rubbed soothing circles into her sides. I smiled to myself as Buttercup entered the honeymoon suite and moved my hands up to her arms.

"There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours," I quoted, pulling her arms away.

I'd kept myself from complimenting specific parts of her body in the past, preferring to let her know that she was beyond beautiful overall. But the temptation of that line was too much to pass up.

She blushed and ducked her head. "You don't mean that," she whispered.

"Of course I do, sweetheart," I assured her. "Everything about you is perfect." Bella scoffed, obviously not believing me. "You're beautiful, my Bella," I added, trailing kisses down the side of her neck.

Neither of us was watching the movie any longer and I was once again glad for the blanket. Bella let out a soft sigh of contentment, turning her head to reveal more skin and brought her hand up to knot in my hair.

I took that as my cue to continue. My hands caressed her stomach, slowly circling higher and higher as I kissed her neck and jaw line. We both froze when my thumb hit the underwire of her bra, but Bella recovered first.

"Please," she whispered. "It feels… really good, Edward. Please… don't stop."

"As you wish," I answered with a chuckle.

Her breasts fit perfectly in my hands. She gasped in pleasure as I rubbed my thumb over her already hardened nipple over the fabric of her bra. She quickly pressed her lips to mine to mask her small moan as I continued.

All of a sudden she pulled back with a muttered curse.

I was about to protest when I noticed the grandfather on screen getting ready to leave the boy's room. The movie was over. The lights would be on in a second. I sighed and extracted my hand from under Bella's shirt, making the skin-to-skin contact last as long as I could.

Bella must have noticed my hesitation because she smiled before kissing me quickly.

"It's only because of the lights," she promised me. "Don't think I _wanted_ you to stop."

I smiled back at her and caressed her cheek as the lights came on around us. "What time do you have to be home, love?"

"Whenever I get back, though it would be better if I got back before one," she said. "But Edward, please know I would rather fall asleep in your arms than in my own bed any night of the week."

"We'll get there again, I promise. I wouldn't give that up for the world," I said.

We both decided it was time to get her home for the night. If we went back to my place, she would have ended up spending another night and something would undoubtedly go wrong. It would be better to just get her home.

I stopped at the end of her block. Bella bit her lip as she looked over at me. Before I could open my mouth to say goodnight, her lips were on mine. My hands shot out to bring her closer, one knotting in her hair and one winding around her waist. Both her hands fisted in my shirt. She clearly had the same intentions and need to be closer.

We stayed like that for a while, trying to stay comfortable in the small space while we kissed. Even as we lost our breath, the kiss became more desperate with the impending separation.

"Edward," she moaned.

I sighed and left one last, lingering kiss on her lips. "I love you, Bella, but we can't do this now."

"You're right, you're right," she said. "I just don't want to leave you."

"I'm working on the plan, love. With any luck, we won't have to keep this up for very long. But for now, you need to stay with your parents," I said. "Just know that I can't wait until you can stay with me whenever you want."

She smiled and kissed me quickly before pulling back completely. "I love you, Edward. Call me when you get home, please."

"I will, I promise," I said as she started getting out of the car. "Hey, Bella?" She looked back at me. "I love you."

Bella smiled back at me one last time before heading off to her house. I watched her until she turned off the sidewalk to make sure she was alright.

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket just as I was about to turn the car back on.

_Don't think I didn't see you still sitting there. Thanks for keeping me safe. ;) –B_

I quickly typed out a response before I headed back to my own place to spend the night alone.

_Glad to be your knight-in-shining-armor, m'lady. ;) –E_

It was surprisingly easy to ease back into my usual schedule the next day after the excitement of the night before. The only differences were that I was a lot happier and that Bella and I made more of an effort to talk throughout the day, even if it was only through text messages.

It didn't take Rose very long to notice.

"Either stable boy got some action, or this is Alien Edward," she said, walking around me and trying to figure out if it was really me.

I just smiled and shook my head, refusing to tell her anything. One of my appointments came in then and I was saved from being forced to comment for a few more hours. Unfortunately, Emmett came in just as we were breaking for lunch and I no longer had an excuse to hide behind.

"Holy shit, Rosie, you weren't kidding about him," my cousin exclaimed when he saw me. "He really does look like he's fucking glowing or something."

"Oh, did I forget to mention that I've sold my body for science?" I deadpanned. "Yeah, they're researching how to rid the world of all artificial lighting by making human skin bioluminescent."

"Uh-huh, sure loser," Emmett replied. "Now, tell me, did you run home or only hit third?"

"Must you always assume that just because_ you_ might jump into bed with a girl on the first date, I will too?" I snapped.

"Whoa, didn't mean it like that, man," he said, holding his hands up in surrender.

Rosalie put a hand on Emmett's arm, warning me that she was taking his side. "Edward, he only meant that you look really happy, so he assumed things went well. However, his scale of 'going well' and your scale are a bit different," she said, trying to explain. "We're both really happy for you."

I sighed and nodded. I shouldn't bite Emmett's head off when I would be spending the majority of the day with him since I had finally agreed to family dinner. "Sorry, man. I just don't want to be _that_ _guy_ since I've been working to keep things going slow for Bella," I finally replied. "I need to know she's ready before we do anything."

"That makes sense," Rose agreed. "You're both feeling out new territory and you don't want to jump in too soon and ruin it. It's smart. Not exactly desirable, but smart."

"Okay, so you didn't do anything too drastic. What's with the perma-smile?" Emmett questioned.

"Well, for one thing, I got to spend time with Bella. Yes, I realize how whipped that makes me sound, but I don't care," I said. "Second of all, she loved it. I don't think it could have gone any better than it did."

"What did you even do? Rose wouldn't tell me," he pouted.

I smiled up at her and she mouthed, _You owe me big_. I just nodded, trying not to laugh. "I just took her to dinner and a movie," I told my cousin.

"That must have been one spectacular meal or you are very easily pleased."

"Well, it helped that it was one of her favorite movies and they had loveseats instead of regular seating," I smirked.

"Baby Bell _would _like that," Emmett agreed contemplatively.

"And how would you know? You've only met her twice," Rose asked.

"She just seems like one of those chicks that would like shit like that," he explained. "See, I've got this theory-"

"No, no theories, Emmett," I said quickly.

He frowned, but agreed. "Fine, fine, I won't tell you my theory, but only if you tell me more about what happened with your date."

I spent the rest of our lunch break regaling them with the happenings of my date. They didn't ask anything more using the base-metaphor and I made no effort to tell them about what happened at the end of the movie. They didn't need to know about that.

Emmett left, but not before reminding us that we needed to be at Carlisle and Esme's by six. I assured him that Rose and I would be there on time. He was going straight from work so we would meet him there.

"Think we should show up ten minutes late just to screw with him?" Rose asked, watching her boyfriend leave the shop.

I chuckled as I went back to the counter. "I would say yes if he wouldn't take it way out of proportion," I said. "And there is no way I will freak out Esme tonight."

Rose's expression softened as she looked back at me. "She is going to be so happy to see you tonight," she said.

"I've missed them," I admitted. "I just didn't think I deserved them when I was so fucked up."

"They won't care," she said. "They're just happy you're better."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. "You sound like a Hallmark card, Rose."

She rolled her eyes. "I try to be nice and it gets me absolutely nowhere."

I had another appointment for the afternoon, so most of my attention was focused on that. There was little time to think about my aunt and uncle and what they thought of me.

Bella kept my spirits up with cute and flirty text messages every once in a while. She knew not to expect an answer right away, but it never mattered. They ranged from completely innocent – _I love you. –B_ – to remarkably suggestive – _Did we ever get around to guessing what Old Gregg thought we were doing? It would be interesting to know… and maybe try out a few of the ideas. ;) –B_.

After my appointment, I decided I needed to call her before Rose and I headed out. I went in the back office so I didn't have to see Rose's knowing smirk throughout the entire conversation.

"Did you miss me or was the Old Gregg comment too much?" Bella answered with a laugh.

"Both," I assured her. "But hopefully we can rectify those situations soon."

"Hmm, I hope so," she sighed. "Is it sad that I already miss you?"

"No, love. I've wanted to see you all day."

"You do need to go see your family, though."

"Yeah," I agreed, taking a deep breath. "I'm just scared of what they think of me. They won't say anything, but that doesn't mean anything. They're too nice to let it show, but I know they'll be judging me in their heads and-"

"Edward, stop," Bella said forcefully. It shocked me enough that I trailed off. "They're your family. It won't matter if you screw up a hundred times, they will still love you. I don't want to hear another word from you doubting that, okay?"

"Okay. You're right. Thank you, love," I sighed.

"You're welcome," she replied brightly. "Now, stop talking to me and go have fun with your family. They'll be so happy to see you. I just know it."

"Thanks, Bella. I'll call you later, okay?" I said.

"I'll be here," she answered.

"I love you," I whispered, smiling. It felt so good to be able to say that whenever I wanted to.

"I love you too, Edward. Now go! I don't want to be the reason you're late," she said. "Emmett would kill me."

I laughed and quickly ended the conversation, but not before telling her I loved her again. Some people might have thought that it was annoying for me to say it as often as I did, but I just needed her to know how much she meant to me. She didn't seem to mind it, either.

It didn't take us long to get to my aunt and uncle's house. We were actually a few minutes early. Rose smiled at me reassuringly and whispered, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine," as she got out of the car. I gave myself a minute to calm down before I joined Rose on the porch.

"You ready?" she asked. She had her hand poised in front of the door ready to knock.

"Yes, let's get this show on the road," I answered with a sigh.

Rose knocked three times, but didn't bother to wait for a response. She opened the door and walked in, hesitating only to wipe her shoes on the doormat. Emmett met her in the hallway and promptly stuck his tongue down her throat like he hadn't seen her for weeks. I rolled my eyes and looked toward the kitchen to see my uncle heading for me with a smile.

"It's great to see you, son," Carlisle greeted as he pulled me into a hug. "We've missed you."

I looked over his shoulder to see my aunt standing in the doorway to the kitchen with her hands over her mouth. She was trying not to cry, but it wasn't working. When my uncle let go, he looked back at her and smiled gently.

"She didn't want to get her hopes up," he said quietly. "But she's been cooking up a storm with all your favorites. She hasn't stopped moving all day."

I nodded, but kept eye contact with Esme. She didn't move.

"Aunt Esme?" I said. I took a few hesitant steps toward her.

"Edward," she whispered. She stumbled frantically forward, her arms wrapping around my neck. "I'm so happy you're here."

"Me too, Aunt Esme," I said as I hugged her back. "Me too. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."

She stepped back and took my face in her hands. "You look healthy," she said happily. "You're still a little too skinny, but you don't look like a skeleton. We'll just have to get some food in you. And you look so _happy_."

"Oh, that part is because of a _girl_," Emmett piped up proudly.

Esme's eyes widened and her smile grew. "You must tell me all about her over dinner," she said, pulling me into the dining room. "I made all your favorites…"

I let her lead me along as she continued talking. It was good to be back with family. Aunt Esme caught me up on the lives of the people I knew. Uncle Carlisle told me about the goings-on at the hospital. It was a simple, quiet family dinner. It was exactly what I needed.

Before long, Esme started badgering me with questions about "my girl." I smile and gave them the most basic, least-painful information I could. Even Carlisle wasn't satisfied with that, so I caved and gave them the full scoop.

The night was over faster than I had anticipated. Carlisle invited me over again for the next big game and I heartily agreed. Esme decided that she wanted to meet Bella. I was glad that she seemed to approve of the relationship – even if I was technically the "other man." I told her I'd ask Bella, but not to count on anything.

For once, I didn't feel lonely when I got back to my apartment. I knew my family still loved me. I knew I had Bella. There was nothing I needed beyond that.

With a smile, I pulled out my phone to send a text to Bella.

_Everything was great. My aunt wants to meet you. –E_

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AN: So, what'd you think? I know the date setup was a little funky with the loveseats and all. I just wanted something a little more romantic than a regular theater, you know? I've never heard of a place actually having a setup like that, but this is fiction. Things like that can happen in fiction.

**Next chapter: More fluff, more of the plan (getting closer to the end of the plan....), and James tries to act like a gentleman for once.**

**I start classes again on Tuesday, but I'm hoping to get the next chapter out in about two weeks. However, if you guys beat the review record (mentioned at the top), I will post a teaser for the next chapter on my profile. Please let me know what you think! It keeps me writing and tells me what I'm doing wrong.**

**-Kaylee :)**


	15. Secret Chocolate Covered Strawberries

**AN: Only one day off the two week mark. Not bad. If you've been checking the updates on my profile, you know that this chapter and the next are going to be a little shorter. BUT! It's all leading up to something big. You all know what it is, but I still won't say it.**

**Thanks again to my wonderful beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, for making me see that (even though I sometimes think it is) my writing isn't crap. Also! Thank you to the people who reviewed the last chapter. There were only five (and one anonymous that reviewed the prologue). Not enough to get you guys a teaser. I heard that there were some issues with the site, so that might be part of it, but I don't know. I know you guys can do better. :)**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I still don't own Twilight. My name is nothing close to Stephenie Meyer and it never will be.**

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Chapter 13 – Secret Chocolate Covered Strawberries

BPOV

The time I spent with Edward was perfect. It was nice to get out of the house to see Alice and Jasper too, but seeing Edward's face gave me hope that I would make it out of the shit-hole I called my life.

We found a routine in the weeks following our first date. We would spend every Tuesday night together whether it was at his apartment, somewhere in town, or with our friends. Neither of us seemed to care where we were as long as we were with each other.

Edward was continually bringing up the fact that his aunt wanted to meet me. I was hesitant and kept putting it off, not wanting his family to think less of me for being with Edward while I was technically engaged. He was disappointed, but he understood my decision.

I spent the rest of the week fighting with my mother about wedding plans. There was nothing I wanted more than to just walk out and never look back, but I loved my family. I couldn't do that to them. I needed to go about it the right way so that I wouldn't be forced to make a rash decision.

There were times that my mother made life at home very difficult. She sat me down at the table one Sunday about three weeks after the date and told me that I needed to pick a color scheme. She threw swatch after swatch of fabric at me. They were all so similar that I would have had trouble picking one even if I _had_ been planning on marrying James. I eventually settled on a pale, matted pink that my mother seemed particularly fond of. She was thrilled by it and launched into even more plans.

I called Edward in tears that night.

"Bella, sweetheart, what's wrong?" he said, worried when I barely choked out a greeting to him.

"It all seems so real," I whispered, trying to take a deep breath and calm down. "I had to pick a color scheme today, Edward. For the wedding. She still won't believe me about James."

"Shh, Bella, it's okay. You need to calm down," Edward said softly, trying desperately to soothe me. I tried to take another deep breath, but only succeeded in choking out another sob. "It's fine. We'll get through this together, baby, I promise. Please, love, don't cry."

The pain in his voice was staggering. It shocked me enough that I was able to get control of my breathing and stop the sobbing.

"I'm sorry, Edward. You didn't need to hear that," I apologized.

"Never apologize for that," he replied forcefully. "I want to help you with anything and everything, but I can't do that if you don't tell me what's wrong. But since I know this time, there's nothing you need to worry about. I've been working on the plan and I think I've got almost enough evidence to make it worth it."

"Really?"

"Yes, love. I've talked to a few more girls about him and I spoke to Victoria again. One of the girls even gave me printouts of some of the e-mails he sent her that would have been used in the trial," he told me.

He went on to explain the other pieces of information he'd gotten from the girls and it really sounded like a solid amount of evidence. I just had to hope it would be enough.

The phone call with Edward gave me enough courage to approach my father the next day. I had to hope that he had a better reaction than my mother. He couldn't just brush it off like it meant nothing. He needed to see that this was a real concern of mine.

I waited until my mother had gone to visit one of her friends to approach my father in his study.

"Daddy?" I asked, knocking softly on the door.

He looked up from the file he was reading and smiled. "Hey," he said. "Do you need anything?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something," I said nervously as I sat in the chair he'd put in the corner.

"Sure," he said. He made a show of closing the file he had to let me know that I had his full attention. "What it is?"

"It's about James," I started, still hesitant. He didn't say anything, so I took the chance to continue. "You already know that I'm not the biggest fan of him, but I was willing to try and get over it for you and Mother. But it's gotten to the point where I don't feel safe around him anymore. I can't marry him, Daddy."

He paused and looked me over. His brows furrowed and I wondered if he was taking me seriously. "Isabella, please tell me you don't mean that."

"I wouldn't have told you if I didn't mean it."

"James has never done anything to deserve that kind of accusation," my father decided forcefully.

"He isn't really what you see," I protested. "He's not the perfect angel that everyone builds him up to be! It's an act. James is not who you think he is."

My father shook his head and let his gaze fall to the desk. "I can't believe that, Isabella," he said quietly. "There are so many things that contradict what you're saying. As much as I want to believe you, I just can't." He looked up again, his eyes full of regret.

I bit my lip to keep from lashing out at him. He really did love me and I had to remember that. It wasn't like he wanted to ignore everything that came out of my mouth in favor of what he wanted like my mother, he just didn't have a way to prove it.

I took a deep breath to calm down.

"I'll prove it, Daddy," I whispered. "But please believe me."

"I'll try, Isabella," he said. "I can't promise anything more than that."

"That's all I need," I answered. I went around the desk and hugged him. "Thank you, Daddy," I said after I kissed his cheek.

It was easier to deal with an enforced fiancé knowing that my father was at least trying to get on my side. James consistently treated me like some trophy. He paraded me around and introduced me to every person he could as "his future wife," but wouldn't allow me to speak to anyone.

I chose to become more distant and less engaged when he did this. It was uncomfortable at best and I was sick of it. I would use whatever excuse I could to get out of there in favor of having genuine conversations with people I felt normal around.

Of course, James noticed this after a while and confronted me about it. I had excused myself from a conversation to hide in one of the unoccupied rooms and had enjoyed a few minutes of peace before he found me.

"What is this, Isabella?" he demanded. "You keep disappearing. Is there something wrong? Something I should know about? This does not look good for me. My fiancée should be at my side, not gallivanting off on her own like some hired slut looking to get more."

Before I had started dating Edward, I would have backed off and just listened to him. But I was finally starting to learn to stick up for myself and I needed to do that with James.

"There is something wrong," I spat. "You pull me along like a rag doll and expect me to just stand there and smile. I know these people, James. I've known them all my life. I should have an opportunity to speak to them instead of acting like a mute! If you can't understand that, then I'm not going to act like everything is fine. I would rather mingle on my own than act as your silent trophy. No one else here thinks I'm a whore, and you of all people shouldn't even be toying with the idea in your head. Just because I'm expected to respect you, doesn't mean that you can treat me like some worthless bimbo without two brain cells to rub together."

James was shocked. When the words sunk in, he had the sense to look slightly apologetic. He knew it would end badly for him if he didn't fix the situation. He would only do something about it for his own benefit.

"I didn't realize you felt that way," he said carefully. "I will be sure to make a point to include you. I would appreciate it, however, if you refrained from letting this conversation reach the ears of others. It would reflect poorly on me."

"Don't worry. I know how to keep my mouth shut about things like that," I hissed. "And you won't have to _try_ to include me. Believe it or not, I know a thing or two and I won't embarrass you in front of your friends. Now if you'll excuse me, I would like to go speak with my father."

Without letting him get another word in, I hurried out of the room to find my father sneaking sweets in the kitchen.

"Daddy!" I gasped. "What are you doing?"

His head snapped up and his gaze passed from me to the chocolate covered strawberry resting between his thumb and forefinger. He sighed and reluctantly set it on the napkin in front of him.

"Please don't tell your mother, Isabella," he said. "It would break her heart if she realized that I didn't eat her fancy treats."

I chuckled and gestured that my lips were sealed. He visibly relaxed and indicated that I should join him.

"So this is where you disappear to," I mused.

"I used to hide in my study, actually," he confessed. "Your mother found me there. I always got too hungry anyway with nothing up there, so I started coming in here. The cook has learned to make extra sweets. It's the only time I can eat them."

"Well, I promise not to tell if you don't tell Mother about me telling off James," I conceded nervously.

My father turned to me, stunned. "What did you say? Please don't tell me-"

"No, I didn't do anything about ending the engagement," I rolled my eyes. "But, I did inform him that I would no longer let him treat me like a mute. He was apparently unaware of my ability to form logical, coherent thoughts and present them eloquently."

"Ah, Isabella," he sighed. "I knew you could do it."

"Must you call me that?" I huffed.

"Isabella? It's your name."

"It makes me feel like I'm getting in trouble. It's too formal."

"Oh," he said, taken aback. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

I blushed and looked down, toying with the edge of a serving platter. "It just seemed like it wouldn't matter."

"Hey," he lifted my chin. "I've always tried to pay attention to what you do and don't like. Do you remember that year your mother wanted you to do every single pageant she could get you into?" I shuddered involuntarily at the memory I'd repressed. He chuckled at my reaction. "Exactly. I noticed and convinced her that you would only be able to get through one before your head exploded. And that year you expected only pink, girly debutante dresses for your birthday? You got some of those, yes, but who do you think got you the gift card to the bookstore?"

I stared up at him in amazement. "I always thought it was the cook," I whispered. "She saw them lying around everywhere, so I assumed…"

He shrugged. "I just didn't know what you'd like, so I didn't want to guess."

I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Daddy," I whispered, trying not to tear up.

It had never occurred to me that my parents even considered anything I wanted. My father had always conceded to my mother – at least in front of me. It seemed like he barely even knew I existed. It meant so much that he had done something as small as getting me a gift card just so I could have one present I would like.

"I love you too, honey," he said, awkwardly hugging me back.

"Charles? Oh, where is that man? Charles?"

We both heard my mother prowling the halls, but it didn't sound like she would find us.

"Looks like that's my cue to rejoin the party," he said sadly. He quickly popped the last chocolate covered strawberry in his mouth before helping me off my stool.

"One thing, Dad?" I said. He looked at me, but said nothing to allow me to continue. "Please call me Bella. It's been Bella ever since Jasper decided that Ali couldn't be the only one with a nickname. We were seven."

He nodded and kissed the top of my head as he led me out of the kitchen. "Bella," he said with a smile. "It suits you."

My dad and I finally started to understand each other. He knew I was unhappy with life and I realized that he'd given my mother too much power over me because he wasn't sure what to do in terms of raising me.

This newfound closeness with him was not solidified, however. I was still skeptical of letting him know about Edward. I was afraid that he wouldn't see a strong woman trying to get what she wanted. I was afraid he'd see a two-timing tramp and all the progress we made would be for nothing.

I decided it was useless to dwell on those thoughts. I would tell my parents about Edward when they asked how I got the evidence about James. Hopefully telling them wouldn't ruin anything.

Edward and I were struggling with the lack of time we spent together. With James coming around more and being more attentive, I had trouble getting out of the house. My mother also believed that I wasn't spending enough time planning for the wedding. Edward was spending more time at the shop because both of his interns were unable to work. Pete caught a bout of mono from his girlfriend and Drew broke his leg while he was off-roading with his friends.

We tried to stay in contact throughout the day, but it was getting tough. The shop was getting more publicity than they thought and now Edward had more customers than ever before.

He agreed to make time to call me every day if I got him at a bad time when I tried. Phone tag became a normal occurrence. I was disappointed that I couldn't talk to him, but I knew that he needed to work.

One day, I was just starting to give up hope that I would get to talk to him when someone picked up. My hope was crushed when I heard Rose's voice ring through.

"Bella?" she asked.

"Hey, Rose," I sighed.

"Sorry, I know you wanted to talk to him. He's been working on some biker guy's sleeve for about two hours now," she explained. "But I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh, alright," I said. I made an effort to be more engaged in the conversation.

"So, you know Edward's birthday is coming up next weekend, right?"

"Yes, I was actually wondering about that. Does his family have anything special planned or…?"

I'd been thinking of what I wanted to do for him for a couple weeks. Now that we were together, I felt the need to do something special. It needed to be more than the extra mix CDs I made him in years before.

But since he'd finally reconnected with his family, I figured they would want to do something for him. I couldn't interfere with that.

"Esme wants to do something for him, but he won't go for it," Rose huffed. "He says he doesn't want them to do anything for him, but we don't care. I was hoping that you could help us out."

"Why?" I gasped. Figuring that had come across as rude, I explained myself, "I mean, what influence do I hold over him that would make him agree to something?"

"Really, Bella?" Rose questioned, exasperated. "Have you seen the way the boy looks at you? He's like a puppy. He's been pining over you for three years. You've held power over him ever since you two met."

I gaped at my phone, not believing what Rosalie said. How could that be? How could Edward have fallen for me before he even really knew me? I knew he loved me and I knew I'd felt a connected that first night, but had it really been that fast?

"Bella? Hello? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, sorry," I stumbled through a response. "I guess I never realized that."

"Well, it's true," she answered like it was the most mundane news in the world. "So, you in?"

"I guess so. Tell me what I can do to help."

Rose and I talked about our plans for the next half hour before a client came in for a piercing. She promised she would tell Edward that I loved him, not to worry, and that my call wasn't urgent.

I spent the next five days agonizing over what to give Edward. He knew I was planning something; I'd told him that I would meet him at the shop – Rose's idea – and then I'd drive him to where we were going. There was no point in asking him what he wanted me to get him, though. He would only say something corny about only needing me.

"Just get a slutty nurse costume and seduce his sexy ass," Alice huffed as we walked around the mall. I'd dragged her with me in search of a gift two days before the party in the hopes that, having been with Jasper for so long, she would know how to shop for guys. "That's what I do for Jasper."

Apparently not.

"No, Alice, I am not going to seduce him for his birthday," I hissed. "I need something meaningful. Something unique."

"You're shopping for a _sappy_ gift? Shit, Bella, I thought you were buying for a _guy_!" Alice exclaimed.

I sighed and plopped myself on a bench. "Ali, I can't just get him any old gift. I mean, we're together now, you know? It needs to be something more than sexy lingerie that will eventually get ripped off me. Besides, we haven't even considered having sex yet."

Alice sat next to me and put her arm around my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Bella. I guess I didn't realize how much this meant to you. But you don't need to worry. Edward is the kind of guy that really would be happy to just be with you. He doesn't need presents. Presents are just a bonus to him."

"You're right, but I still feel like I owe it to him," I countered. "He got me that sketch that's been sitting on my bedside table for two years and all I've gotten him are CDs. I need to do something big, Alice."

She nodded and we continued walking through the stores. About ten minutes later, she randomly turned to me and asked, "Were you really serious? No sex?"

We finally found the perfect thing after two hours of searching. I knew I could add in a few little things, but he would love it no matter what.

Alice also found me a cute dress to wear. It was different than what I would usually wear, but it was perfect. Not only would I not mind wearing it, I knew Edward would love it.

I was staying with Alice and Jasper the night before the party so that I would have no problems getting out of the house. Saturdays were usually quiet in my house, but lately the wedding plans had taken precedence.

The only thing I hadn't counted on was my mother. I hadn't mentioned my plans to her, choosing instead to let her worry for once. She caught me as I was going out the door.

"Where do you think you're going, Isabella?" she demanded.

"I'm staying with Alice and Jasper for a while, Mother," I said. It was at least partly true. She didn't need to know that I would probably stay with Edward after the party.

"Why are you holding a gift? I didn't think Alice's birthday was this soon."

"She's planning a party for one of her friends and roped me into helping," I lied. "I thought it would be rude to go without a gift."

"Well, that's very sensible," she agreed. "When can I expect you back? You know we have more to do for the wedding. You only just picked a color scheme!"

"I'll be back on Monday, Mother. And I'll have my cell phone with me, so you don't need to worry about calling Alice's house phone. We probably won't even be there for most of the time."

She reluctantly agreed with the stipulation that I check in on Sunday and I hurried out before she changed her mind. Jasper was already waiting out front.

"What took you so long?" he asked.

"Just my mother," I sighed. "Still trying to plan out every last second of my life for me…"

"Well, you've got the entire weekend free," he noted.

"Thank god."

We spent the night catching up. Even though we'd seen each other a lot over the past few weeks, most of that was at parties when we were forced to mingle. We couldn't really talk about anything important then.

I filled them in on everything Edward had told me about the information he'd gathered. A few of the girls had refused to talk to him, but that was expected. He'd gathered more than we could have hoped for when he started the investigation. There was almost enough to show my parents. Almost…

I called Edward before I went to bed that night. For some reason, I couldn't go to sleep anymore without at least hearing his voice first.

"Hey, sweetheart," he said happily when he picked up.

"Hi," I sighed.

"Oh no, please don't tell me something's wrong," he said, panicked.

"No, don't worry," I chuckled. "That was a happy sigh."

"Good. I don't like to hear you sad."

"I won't be for the next few days," I admitted. "I'm home free until Monday."

"Really?" He sounded excited at the prospect. So was I, but I couldn't let that show too much. "You're not at home right now?"

"Nope, I'm staying with Ali and Jazz tonight. We haven't had much time to ourselves with all the parties and wedding shit…. It feels nice to just spend some time with them, you know?"

"I'm glad, baby. You needed that. Are you still meeting me at work tomorrow?"

"Of course I am. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I've been waiting to see where you work for a long time now," I confessed.

"Bella, all you had to do was ask," Edward said. "You could have come any time."

"I didn't want to invade your space," I said. "But now that we're working toward an actual relationship, I figure it doesn't matter."

His laughter rang through the line and I couldn't resist smiling in return. I loved making him happy, and his laugh never got old.

"May I ask why we're only _working_ toward an actual relationship and not already in one?"

"Obviously because we barely know each other," I joked. "I mean, we only met over three years ago."

"Well, of course. That must be it," he agreed, still laughing.

It felt nice to laugh like that, but I wished that I could be with him.

"I love you, Edward," I said.

"I love you too, Bella," he answered. "God, I wish you were here, baby. Will you stay with me tomorrow night?"

"Yes," I agreed quickly, almost before he finished the question. It was like he'd read my mind and I wasn't about to complain. "And Sunday night if you'll have me," I added cautiously.

"Always, Bella. Always."

We ended the call soon after when Edward noticed that I was starting to yawn. After a few more exchanged words of love, we finally hung up. I fell asleep with a smile on my face and the knowledge that I would get to spend the entire weekend with Edward.

**

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AN: There you go, folks. A new chapter. Don't you like Charlie now? I know I like him a whole lot more. James, though? Still want to punch his lights out.... Sorry.

Next chapter: Surprise! (aka, Edward's birthday party and the end of the plan)

I will try to do another two week gap between updates. This chapter didn't want to flow, but I think the next one will. As always, please tell me what you think! It keeps me going and helps me get it out faster, I swear. I'll go with the same policy as the last chapter: if you beat the review per chapter record, I'll post a teaser on my profile (I really don't have any other place to put it). And, as always, I'll be posting updates for the chapter there periodically as well.

Thanks for reading! :)

-Kaylee


	16. Surprise!

**AN: Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me.... Hmmm, what do I want to do on my birthday.... Update my story for all my wonderful readers! :) So technically it's the end of my birthday right now, but it still counts. And I managed to still be under the two week mark. That gets me some points, right? Well, maybe this chapter will, then.**

**Anyway, thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted, favorited, and even sat there yelling at your screen for me to update (somehow I think I heard some of you) as well as my awesome beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea (who got sick again, but still managed to get back to me). Oh, and I still don't own Twilight, though I did get some awesome Twilight paraphernalia for my birthday.**

**Warning: I finally came out with something akin to citrus. If that citrus happens to be a lemon, awesome. If not, I tried. You have been warned.**

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**Chapter 14 – Surprise!**

EPOV

The suspense was killing me. I was starting to realize why Bella hated surprises so much. She didn't mention exactly when she planned on coming into the shop, only that it would be sometime after lunch.

"I think I might call someone in for an impromptu tatt if you don't get rid of your jitters," Drew called from the front.

"Hey, don't make fun of him," Rose admonished. "He's just freaking out because his girlfriend is planning something for his birthday."

Pete cocked an eyebrow. "I thought you've only been with her for a few weeks. She's already planning shit for you?"

"No, see, they've been head over heels for each other for three years," Rose divulged. "They just finally got their heads out of their asses."

"Aw, come on, Rose, you know that was mostly my fault, not Edward's," I heard a cheery voice from behind me.

"Bella!" I exclaimed. I turned and threw my arms around her, picking her up and spinning her around.

"Edward! Put me down!" she huffed dramatically. It was easy to hear the smile in her voice, though.

I gently set her down in front of me, but kept my arms around her waist. "I missed you," I whispered.

"I missed you too, Edward," she replied before leaning up to kiss me.

We simply stood in each other's arms, refusing to move for a few minutes. It gave me a chance to look at what she was wearing. She had on a dark green dress with a sweetheart neckline – I would kill Rose for teaching me terms like that – and a black sash right under her breasts. The hem hit the middle of her thighs and I thought I caught a glimpse of black pumps. Her hair was done in tousled curls that looked amazing.

A smile crept across my face when she blushed. She didn't try to hide herself from my gaze like she had in the past. This was an improvement of which I would never tire.

"You look magnificent, Bella," I breathed.

"Why do I feel like I'm watching the beginning of a soft-core porno?" I heard Pete stage-whisper behind me.

"Because they won't fuck each other yet and the sexual tension is rising exponentially by the second," Rosalie answered in a normal tone.

I gave my friends the one finger salute behind my back and they burst out laughing. Bella's face grew bright red at the comments and she burrowed her head in my chest. She hated attention like that, but I would be lying if I said it didn't affect me. I knew she felt it when she shifted against me.

"Stop squirming or you'll make it worse," I teased her quietly.

"Don't give me the opportunity then," she shot back, finally looking up at me.

I chuckled and kissed her quickly before we turned back to face my friends. "Are you guys done making fun of us?"

"Are you gonna throw her on the counter and play tonsil hockey anytime soon?" Drew quipped with a smirk.

"No, asshole," I replied with an evil grin. "Besides, you'd be too blown-away by my skills to even comment."

"Edward!" Bella gasped, once again embarrassed.

"Jeez, Romeo, brag much?" Rose laughed.

There were no appointments scheduled, so I decided to give Bella a "grand tour" of the place. She was thoroughly impressed by the time we circled back to the front. I noticed her eyes lingered on the pictures scattering the walls.

"They're all the big pieces that we've done over the years," I explained. "The ones in the very back are the oldest, from before Rose and I were here. The ones up here are the newest."

Bella walked around the front waiting area and lingered on a few of the pictures. She eventually stopped at one of them and traced the design with her fingers.

"You did this one, didn't you?" she asked.

I chuckled and moved to stand next to her. The picture focused on the very beginning of Garrett's back piece when he'd proposed to Kate. "Yes, I did do this one," I told her with a smile. "This is actually the beginning of a very intricate design and I've done every step of it. It's also the guy that helped me get information about James."

Her head whipped around to look at me. "Really?"

"Yes, really. And I want you to meet him some day as well," I said.

We spent close to an hour at the shop. Emmett came to pick up Rose around four-thirty stating that they had special plans for the night. Bella and I shared a laugh, figuring we knew exactly what they'd be up to. I sent Pete and Drew home shortly after because I knew that I could handle it alone until it was time to close.

Even though I practically ordered her not to help, Bella seemed comfortable with helping me close up shop for the night. She wiped the counter while I quickly swept the floor. By the time we were done, I could tell she was getting antsy about something.

I wrapped my arms around her from behind as she turned to look at the clock. "I'm guessing we have to be somewhere by a certain time," I said.

She sighed and nodded, turning to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Yes, we need to get going soon. But I'm driving," she insisted. I started to protest, but she cut me off. "No whining. It's a surprise."

"Fine," I relented.

We left a few minutes later and Bella ushered me to the far side of the car. As soon as I was seated, she handed me a strip of cloth.

"You've got to be kidding me," I recoiled as she held up the blindfold.

She looked down at me with wide, pleading eyes. "Please? I really want this to be a secret, but I need you to not see where you're going."

I sighed. "Only for you," I said. "If it were anyone else, I'd tell them to go screw themselves."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she said gleefully before quickly kissing my cheek and skipping to the other side of the car.

Bella made sure I couldn't see anything out of the blindfold. She could tell I was tense about it and held my hand through the entire car ride. I tried to determine where we were going by the turns Bella was making, but I had a feeling she wasn't using the most direct or the most common routes so that I wouldn't be able to guess.

We finally stopped about twenty minutes later. Bella ran over to my side before I even got my seatbelt undone to help me out, still refusing to remove the blindfold.

She kissed my cheek as she led me somewhere. "It's not much longer, I promise," she assured me. "Not even another minute, really."

I heard her open a door and she led me inside a building. I didn't have enough time to get my bearings before Bella stepped in front of me. She placed a soft kiss on my lips before slowly slipping the blindfold off.

"I'm sorry for that," she whispered as she pulled back, biting her lip nervously.

My eyes were trained on only her, not registering anything else, until I heard the yelling beyond the beautiful woman standing in front of me.

"_Surprise!!_ Happy birthday, Edward!"

I finally looked up to see everyone in the world I actually enjoyed interacting with standing in my aunt and uncle's living room. Rose and Emmett stood proudly in the center and I knew they'd been up to something. Alice and Jasper stood near them, the little one practically bouncing out of her husband's embrace in excitement. Garrett and Kate were both smiling, happily perched together on the couch. A few of the guys from New Moon Pizza were scattered throughout the back of the room, but clearly visible.

And finally, my aunt and uncle were standing at the very edge of the room. Aunt Esme looked like she wanted to cry and Uncle Carlisle seemed content to just stay with his wife.

Everyone but my aunt and uncle converged on Bella and me. They all wished me a happy birthday. I smiled at everyone in appreciation – I hadn't had this many people around to celebrate my birthday in a long time – and kissed Bella on the cheek before I made a beeline for my aunt.

I needed to thank her for this. It was stupid of me to not want this for her. She wanted nothing more than a traditional birthday celebration for me and I denied her that. However she involved Bella was genius, but I still felt incredibly guilty over not letting her plan it in the first place. It meant the world to me and she needed to know that.

"I know you wanted this," I whispered as I wrapped my arms around her. "I'm sorry I didn't seem supportive. I'm glad you still got to do it."

She smiled up at me, but shook her head. "This wasn't me," she said. My brows furrowed and she hurried to answer my unspoken question. "The only thing I did was to consent to the use of my living room. The rest was done by that lovely young woman over there."

She pointed past me and I looked back to see Bella looking sheepish and trying not to eavesdrop. I took a moment to look around the room and realized that Esme wouldn't know most of these people. If she had planned it, it would only have been Emmett and Rose standing over there beyond my beauty.

"She didn't want you to have to choose between your friends and your family," my uncle said. "She had Rose call us to let us know how many people would be coming and organized it all herself."

"Wow," I breathed.

I looked back at the girl I loved to see her biting her lip nervously. Her eyes were wide and fearful as though she thought I would be mad or disappointed. I gave her a reassuring smile and silently held out me hand, asking for her to come over. She came over and gingerly laced her fingers with mine.

I pulled her closer and leaned in to give her a tender kiss. "Thank you so much," I whispered. "Thank you for doing this. You have no idea what it means to me."

Bella smiled up at me, blushing profusely.

I smiled back before turning to look back at my aunt and uncle. "Uncle Carlisle, Aunt Esme, I'd like you to meet Isabella Swan, the woman I love. Bella, this is my aunt and uncle."

"It's very nice to meet you," Bella said politely. "I'm sorry for imposing like this, but it just seemed right to have it here."

"Don't worry about it, dear," Esme answered warmly. "We're more than happy to have everyone here. And I'm honored to finally meet the woman that brought our Edward back."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella," Carlisle said. "Edward's told us so much about you."

She blushed from the attention. Again. "Oh, I'm so sorry. You must think I'm such a horrible person for being with Edward while I'm trying to get out of another relationship," she sputtered, hiding her face in her hands.

Esme and Carlisle were both shaking their heads furiously, but she couldn't see them. I sighed and tried to pry her hands away.

"Bella, love, please don't do this," I whispered. "No one thinks that. I promise. Please, don't hide."

She dropped her hands, but she still refused to look at us. Esme smiled softly and took a few steps forward to whisper something in Bella's ear, I couldn't tell what she said, but whatever it was made Bella look up in shock.

"Really?" she gasped.

"Really, really," Esme chuckled.

"Ma, did you just quote _Shrek_?" Emmett called, aghast.

"And what if I did? I am allowed to quote movies when I feel like it," she stated proudly. "If that happens to be a children's movie, so be it. You can suck it up, Emmett Cullen."

Bella giggled as she tried to hide next to me. I kissed the top of her head.

"Come on, this is my party, right? Let's go celebrate then," I said.

We spent hours hanging out with everyone. We forgot everything going on in the outside world and just had fun. Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle spent the most time talking to Bella, Alice, and Jasper, wanting to know as much as they could about Bella's situation to know how they could help.

Rose, noticing that Bella was uncomfortable all the attention, announced that we were getting so much new influx at the shop that it might be beneficial to upgrade. We'd talked about it a few times and decided that we would probably do it, but it would take time and money. It would be best to take it one step at a time in order to upgrade. Even so, everyone was thrilled about the idea.

It wasn't long after that the girls scurried into the kitchen to retrieve the cake. Esme remembered that my mom always made me a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. She smiled sadly and I showed my appreciation with a quick hug and whispered thanks.

Presents followed after we all indulged in a piece of cake and some ice cream. I assured everyone that they really didn't need to get me anything, but they insisted. The guys at New Moon Pizza gifted Bella and I with unlimited access to what had become "our booth" and a free meal. Garrett and Kate got me a new photo printer – someone must have told them about my new fascination with pictures. Emmett and Jasper splurged to get tickets to an upcoming Red Sox game for the three of us. Rose and Alice collaborated on replacing the piece of crap couch that currently resided in my living room. The new one would be a chocolate brown leather sofa with reclining ends. Rose knew just how much I wanted a new couch and I definitely approved of their tastes. Carlisle and Esme got me a new set of screwdrivers. The tool set I'd inherited from my father was lacking some things because of the many times he had lent out various tools and never gotten them back.

Finally, it was Bella's turn. She shyly handed me two packages. "I know you didn't want anything, but it didn't feel right to give you _nothing_. Don't worry, I didn't spend too much."

I smiled at her before opening the top one. "Really? _Pride and Prejudice and Zombies_, Bella?"

She giggled and nodded. "I know you read the original and I thought you might find this one funny."

"Only you, Bella," I laughed, shaking my head as I opened the second package. My smile grew softer when I saw framed pictures of the woman I loved. The first was a baby picture, but it was clearly Bella. Her eyes still held the same sparkle that they did as I looked up at her.

I looked at the second one to find a more recent picture from within the past few years of her posing in a pale pink cocktail dress. Near the edge of the photo, I saw a hint of pale blue. My brows furrowed as I took the back padding off to find a ragged piece of pale blue fabric. I held it up closer to my face and saw the dirt smears near the edges. Gasping, I looked up at Bella.

"Is this what I think it is?" I whispered.

She fidgeted a bit in her seat. "I know it seems stupid, but I was feeling nostalgic. If it doesn't mean anything to you I'll just take it back, but I thought-"

I cut her off by pressing my lips against hers. "It's perfect," I whispered as I pulled back.

"Do we get to know what he just went all girly over or are you two gonna keep suckin' face?" Emmett yelled from the other side of the room.

"Emmett Cullen!" Esme hissed. "Be nice!"

"It's part of the dress she was wearing when I met her," I said, still staring at Bella.

"There's no way I can wear it again, so I put one piece behind the sketch of yours I had framed and put another part with this," she explained.

"I love it," I said. "And I know exactly where these pictures are going."

Another hour or so went by before people started heading out. Garrett and Kate left first claiming that Kate could only take so much excitement while she was pregnant. Jake and the guys left after forcing Bella and I to promise that we'd stop by soon. Emmett and Rose left abruptly, leaving no doubt as to why they were headed home so fast. It was a miracle that they'd kept their hands off each other for that long.

Alice and Jasper were the last to leave. I wondered why, but my answer came quickly as I noticed that Bella looked confused about something. They could tell she was debating whether or not to stay with me.

"Sweetheart, if you don't feel comfortable coming home with me, we can just call it a night," I reluctantly told her.

Her eyes widened. "You… you still want me to stay with you?"

"Of course I do, love. I've been looking forward to this all week," I breathed, taking her into my arms. She noticeably relaxed in my embrace.

Jasper smiled over at me and told Bella they were going to leave. Alice skipped over and kissed her best friend's cheek, whispering, "I told you so."

Bella and I stayed a little longer in an attempt to take the cleaning duties off my aunt and uncle. Carlisle shook us off and Esme gave us a motherly "You two kids go have fun." We said our goodbyes and took off.

Sensing that Bella still didn't believe me about her staying over, I held her hand and brought it up to my lips every so often while I drove. She relaxed, but it was clear that she was still nervous.

"What's wrong, love? Are you worried about something?" I finally asked.

"Kind of," she admitted. "I still have one present left for you. I didn't want to give it to you in front of everyone else because I wasn't sure how you'd react."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll love it," I reassured her with a smile.

That seemed to cheer her up and get her excited about whatever it was. Bella pulled an overnight bag from the backseat when we parked – she must have stashed it there before she came into the shop earlier. She grabbed my hand and basically dragged me up to my apartment, impatiently tapping her toe as we waited for the elevator.

My brain finally fought through my amusement and realized what she was doing. She was pulling us toward an empty, private area where no one would interrupt us. Images upon images of how I could take advantage of that flowed through my mind, and suddenly _I _was the one running and pulling her behind me.

I frantically got us both through the door. The second the door was closed and she'd dropped her bag, my arms wrapped around her and my lips found purchase on hers. Her fingers knotted into my hair as she moaned and deepened the kiss.

We stood in front of the door, lost in the kiss, for a few long minutes. When we finally needed to take a breath, I trailed kisses down the side of her neck before laying my cheek on her shoulder.

"This," I whispered. "_This_ is the only thing I wanted for my birthday. You, here, in my arms. Thank you."

"I love you," she said.

"I love you to, my Bella," I replied. "Now, what's this about another present?"

She gently wriggled out of my arms and went over to her bag. "Go sit on the couch and I'll bring it to you," she said happily. At least she seemed less worried about how I would react.

I settled myself on my crappy old couch and smiled as I thought of the new one that would be replacing it soon. Bella joined me soon after, holding an oddly shaped package in her hands.

"At least pretend you like it, okay?"

And just like that, her nerves were back. I smiled reassuringly and took the gift from her. It didn't matter what I said, she would still be nervous about my reaction, so it would be better for me to just open it.

As I pulled back the paper, I revealed a delicately designed antique frame with empty spaces where two pictures would go. The designs were beautiful, but the engraved plaque at the bottom was what drew my attention. It read "Ed & Liz – Loved and Remembered Always."

My fingers gently traced the fancy, looping letters before I looked up at Bella.

"Did you have this engraved?" I whispered in awe.

She nodded shyly. "I knew you'd want to pick the pictures, so I didn't even bother trying to pick any out. I mean, the engraving itself was presumptuous enough, but-"

My lips covered hers and effectively ended her explanation. "It's beautiful," I said. "You didn't need to do this, but thank you."

"You really like it?"

"Bella, I've been looking for something like this for a while and couldn't find the right thing. This is perfect."

Relief flooded her eyes and she melted into my arms. "I was so worried that I'd cross a line," she murmured.

"Hey," I said softly. I nudged her chin to get her to look up at me. "You don't have to worry about stuff like that with me. I will love anything you do simply because you did it."

"I'm glad you like it," she said.

Bella leaned up to press her lips to mine and it quickly progressed past what could be considered chaste. Her legs found their way to either side of my own and she was straddling my lap. I was hard enough already from the kiss, but to feel her on top of me was still a relatively new feeling. My cock twitched and grew further with the feeling of her against me.

"Bella," I moaned. I tentatively rolled my hips upward to meet her center.

"Edward," she whimpered. "Don't stop. Please…"

Our movements became more frantic. Bella's fingers knotted in my hair and her breathing quickened. My hands ran a circuit from her back to her ass to her breasts. Her moans of approval encouraged me to continue moving my hips against hers.

Pulling her legs around me, I carried her from the couch to my bed and sat back, once again allowing her to have some control. She'd told me she wanted to learn how to make me feel good and she would never know if she didn't try. Though, frankly, she was doing a damn good job so far with little guidance other than my answering moans.

Any experience I'd had with sex before couldn't compare to the effect Bella had on me. The results of my fantasies of her already eclipsed the most intense orgasm I'd felt while actually being with another person, but being with Bella – even fully clothed – was better than anything I could ever imagine.

"Baby, ungh, Edward… please…"

The need in her voice, paired with a slight panic, announced that we were definitely nearing uncharted territory. I wanted to control this for her. She didn't need her first orgasm to be from some arbitrary dry hump session. I wanted – no, _needed_ – to touch her.

"Bella, love," I said, moaning as she ground into me again. "I want to try s-something new."

"Anything, just don't stop," she said. "It's feels so… so good…"

"Can I touch you, baby?" I whispered in her ear. My voice had dropped to an obscenely husky tone and she gasped. I thought she might not like it, but Bella erased that fear with another breathy moan. I smirked and continued since she hadn't answered my question. "Do you want my fingers against you? Can I feel how wet you are for me?"

"God, Edward, yes!"

She stayed above me for another few seconds, still savoring the sensation, but when she felt my hands start to move up her bare legs, she put her hands over mine and tried to get me to go faster. She was eager. But I needed to draw this out, to make sure I stayed in control, to give her the best possible experience. I needed this for her.

"Shh, baby, let me take it slow," I said, trying to soothe her. I let my fingers continue, skimming the skin right below the hem of her dress. She continued fidgeting, so I moved up her body to maintain eye contact. I spoke softly to her, kissing various parts of her exposed chest and neck as my fingers made their way up her legs. "You're beautiful, Bella. I would trade anything in the world to simply spend an hour with you. I love you, my sweet, wonderful girl."

"Edward, it f-feels so good," she gasped out. "I need you. I need _more_."

"You'll get it soon, I promise. Just trust me, baby."

I kept my face up by hers as I continued my ministrations. She bit her lip as I peeled off her panties. I kissed her and gently advised her not to do that in case it started bleeding. I had no idea that would make her even more vocal than she'd been before.

"Fuck, Bella, you're so wet," I groaned when I finally touched her.

Her own moans had become indistinct and unintelligible, but I continued whispering to her as I touched her. She deserved to be treated like a goddess and I was doing all I could to accomplish that.

James would never be tender with her. He would take what he wanted before moving on. Bella needed to see that not everyone was like James, that _I _wasn't like James.

"Edward… Edward, I-I'm…" she gasped.

I smiled and moved my fingers faster over her clit and pushing one finger gently into her. "Let go, angel. Don't hold back," I said, kissing her neck.

Despite her moaning before, her breath caught in her throat as she climaxed. I sighed into her neck as I felt her walls clench around the tip of my finger. She'd come for me. She trusted me enough to let me do that for her.

When her breathing finally evened out, she leaned down to kiss my forehead. I looked up to see her smiling at me.

"Thank you," she whispered. "That was amazing."

I kissed the juncture of her neck and shoulder. "No, Bella. That was beyond words. Just seeing you like that…. That was the best birthday present. Ever."

We spent a few minutes kissing softly before she declared her need to get out of her dress. It was clear that she was tired. I bit back a comment about helping her out of it, instead choosing to strip down to my boxers – the easiest and most comfortable pajama choice. She came back after donning a thin tank top and long flannel pants.

I opened my arms and she snuggled into my side, sighing as she laid her head on my shoulder. It didn't take either of us long to fall asleep once we were comfortable. That was the most restful night's sleep I'd had in the month since Bella told me she loved me.

I woke up to soft, hesitant, and fucking amazing fingers stroking my cock. It seemed like a dream, but Bella was actually sitting next to me on the bed when I opened my eyes. Her hands were really touching me through my boxers.

That changed the moment she noticed I was awake.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry," she squeaked out, pulling her hand back into her chest. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Baby, I would be the happiest man alive if I got to wake up to that every day," I answered honestly.

"Really?" she asked, still skeptical.

"It felt amazing, Bella. I would ask you to do it again if you didn't look so terrified."

I reached up and gently caressed her cheek with my thumb. That seemed to calm her down a bit. She took a few deep breaths before meeting my eyes. Her gaze held some form of determination or resolve that I didn't quite understand until she'd placed her hand back on my erection.

"God, baby," I moaned.

She kept her hand there, moving it slightly, but not enough to do much. "I… I'm not really sure what to do," she admitted.

I thought that might be an issue with how hesitant she was being. "Okay, I'll help you."

I placed my hand over hers and brought it inside my boxers for skin-to-skin contact. This made everything seem so much more real. I kept my eyes on Bella's face, which in turn was focused solely on the action between my legs, and I found that it was turning me on even more.

It didn't take me very long to reach my peak. The memory of Bella's face as she climaxed the night before was enough to send me right over the edge.

"Wow," she whispered. "I'm all hot and bothered just from _that_."

I chuckled shakily, still recovering. "That's a good thing, love."

We spent the rest of the weekend in my apartment, not wanting to share each other with the world. The activities from the previous night and that morning were not discussed, though we did periodically recreate the results.

Bella was so much more relaxed around me, no longer skittish or hesitant. She wasn't afraid to tell me if she was nervous about something or when she liked something I did. She was learning and we were both happy about that.

It went unspoken that we both wanted more, but it didn't seem like the right time yet. I wanted her connection with James to end and she wanted to be more confident in herself.

I could give her that time.

Monday morning started out silent. Neither of us wanted to bring up the fact that our happy bubble of bliss and solitude was about to be ruptured. I held Bella in my arms on the couch, occasionally kissing some part of her face and murmuring how much I loved her. She clung to my shirt and curled around my body.

I noticed one tear fall down her cheek when Alice and Jasper finally knocked at the door.

"Hey guys," Jasper greeted us sadly. "Sorry to break this up."

"It's okay," Bella said shakily. "We'll see each other tomorrow."

We made sure Bella had everything packed and they were headed for the door before I remembered something.

"Wait! I forgot. I have something for you." I hurried into the kitchen to grab the manila folder I'd been adding to for months now. I handed it to Bella. "Hopefully this will be enough."

She stared at me blankly before understanding flooded her eyes. "Edward… even if it isn't enough to convince my parents, I'm still planning on ending it this week. Tonight if I can," she said. "I can't go on like this anymore. I love you and I want you. Only you."

I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Bella. Now go, I don't want to get you into trouble."

Bella stood on her toes to kiss my cheek before she and Alice brought her things out to the car. Jasper stayed behind.

"I take it that was everything you could get?" he asked.

"Everything. Anything. Some of the girls were less than helpful, but it should at least help," I said. He nodded and turned to leave. "Jasper?" I asked hesitantly. He turned around again. "Will you and Alice go with her when she tells them? I'm afraid they won't believe just her. She mentioned that she and her father are doing better, but this is all about proof. She needs someone by her side."

Jasper smiled and nodded again. "I would have asked her anyway," he said. "I can't imagine her doing that alone."

Minutes later, I was once again alone in my apartment. It felt empty without Bella there. She made it feel like home. I couldn't wait for her to someday be able to move in with me, for the day that I could be the one to put a ring on her finger.

But first, she needed to deal with her own relationship issues. All I could do was wait and hope for the best.

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**AN: Yay for citrus? Let me know what you though about the chapter! Please review, PM, whatever, but I want to know what you thought! I will even change the rules for a teaser to being if you can get to the double digits with reviews for this chapter rather than beating the record.**

**Also! I have a fic-rec. is writing this great fic called "Picture This" about a 17-year old photographer, Bella, who falls for a 23-year old actor, Edward. It's really well written so you should all check it out (http:/ .net/s/ 5648584/1/ - take out the spaces).**

**Next time on UP: Bella finally stands up to her parents!**

**I warn you, this next chapter may take a little longer than the two weeks I've been trying for. I plan on it being longer - possibly needing to be split - and I also have a paper, tests, you name it. I will update on my profile and let you know when I have a better idea of the next post date! :)**

**-Kaylee**


	17. I'm Done

**AN: I'm back! This chapter took a lot longer than I expected because I wanted to make it perfect for you guys. It's been building to this moment so far and this is pretty damn close to how I originally pictured it. I hope you all like it. :)**

**Thanks to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, and alerting. It makes my day to see all the stats keep rising and to read the reviews. Also, big thanks to my my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea. I still don't own Twilight and I never will.**

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**Chapter 15 – I'm Done**

BPOV

The simple manila folder was resting innocently on the edge of my bed. If it were any other folder, I probably wouldn't have paid it much attention. But this folder contained – hopefully – every piece of information that would help me get rid of the gigantic rock on my finger and the gigantic pain in my life.

And yet, I was sitting all the way across the room with my knees tucked under my chin and my arms wrapped tightly around my legs.

"Just get it over with," Alice urged.

"It's not that easy," I answered. "There is so much more to it than just saying, 'Oh, by the way, my fiancé is basically a rapist and I'm in love with a tattoo artist. Thank, Mom and Dad.'"

"That's why Edward found you proof, Belly," Jasper said encouragingly. "Besides, we'll be with you the whole time."

I took a deep breath. "You're right. I just need to get it over with."

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I opened it to find a text from Edward.

_Don't be scared; just tell them the truth. And know that I love you. –E_

"How does he do that?" Alice huffed as she looked over my shoulder. "I swear to God that boy can read minds and it's really creepy."

"Let her be, Ali," Jasper whispered. "She needed that."

I looked up to see him smirking at me, realizing he must have told Edward something. "Thanks, Jasper," I said gratefully.

He smiled and put a hand on my shoulder. "He would have done it anyway."

I looked over to the folder and scrounged up some semblance of determination. "Okay. Let's do this," I whispered before snatching up the papers and heading down the stairs. Alice and Jasper were following close behind me, but I didn't dare look back for fear of losing my nerve.

My hand paused above the door to my father's study. I'd given myself a pep talk on the way down the stairs, but it was a lot harder to actually make myself turn the knob and set off the whirlwind that would be sure to follow. Jasper's hand shot forward and knocked on the door before I could chicken out. I gave him a look of gratitude as my father said through the door, "Come in."

"Daddy?" I asked as we walked in. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Bella, Alice, Jasper, come in," he said with a smile. "Please, sit down. What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, it has to do with James," I started nervously. My father visibly tensed. After a second, he cleared his throat and gestured for me to continue. "Actually, I think it would be better if Mother joined us for this conversation."

I fidgeted anxiously as we waited for one of the cleaning women to request that my mother join us. She entered calmly a few minutes later, looking slightly annoyed to be pulled away from whatever she had been doing. When she saw us all sitting there, she looked surprised.

"Is something wrong?" she asked my father.

"I'm not sure," he answered. "Our daughter wanted to talk to us about something. She says it's about James Whitlock."

My mother whipped around to look at me. "I told you to just let it go," she hissed. "You will never find anyone that compares to him. He's a good match for you."

My father put a hand on my mother's arm while I sat back, stunned. She'd never spoken to me that harshly before. It seemed completely out of character, even for her. I thought again of backing out, but it was too late by that point. Both of my parents were standing in front of me. I couldn't _not_ tell them.

"Renee, we should hear her out," my dad said quietly. "This is important to her."

My mother softened a bit as she looked back at me. She nodded reluctantly and went to stand by my father. I looked back at Jasper and Alice, still incredibly nervous, but I felt a little better when they nodded at me in encouragement.

I took a deep breath before speaking to my parents. "As you both know, I don't feel comfortable marrying James," I began. "Both of you told me that simply a hunch wasn't enough of a reason to end our engagement, but I believe the information that I now have is more than sufficient."

"What are talking about?" my mother asked skeptically.

"Well, I went out for lunch with Alice and Jasper a while back and I happened to see James there. With another girl. I wouldn't have thought anything of it if he hadn't been all over her and if she hadn't looked like it was normal," I said. "He is obviously accustomed to using girls. Ed- um, one of my friends became concerned at the situation and looked into James' record."

"You have friends in the firm?" my dad asked, surprised. He worked a lot with the one major firm in town, so he knew most of the people there.

"Well, not exactly," I said. "But that's not the issue right now. I will explain everything after."

They nodded and I leaned forward to place the manila folder in the middle of my father's desk. I'd reviewed the information in it beforehand and knew exactly what was in there.

"If I may, sir," I heard Jasper say from behind me. I didn't dare look back; I needed to keep my resolve. My father's hand paused over the folder and nodded to my friend. "I just wanted you to know that this is not just Bella who believes that James isn't who he claims to be. He was always the one to give half-baked excuses and charm his way out of a situation. None of this information comes as a surprise to me, but it may to you and others, unfortunately. I wanted to apologize for any false conclusions he may have led you to."

"Thank you, son. That is much appreciated," my father answered before returning his attention to the folder.

My parents spent a good five minutes looking over the information. My mother gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, when she saw the pictures of the injuries some of the girls had. My dad paid the most attention to the letter Victoria had included with the information she saved. I bit my lip as I waited for a reaction from them.

"Has he hit you?" my father asked, his voice icy as he set down the pages. My mother looked to be on the verge of tears as she waited for my answer.

"No, thankfully not," I said. They both let out sighs of relief. "But he has done it to others. He's never been openly aggressive to me, but he has never been alone with me for long enough, either. I don't feel safe around him."

My father nodded and went back to flipping through the information I'd given him. "Well, I suppose the next question would be how I can know this is all accurate information," he said. I was thrilled to note that he sounded as if he already believed me.

"My friend has connections with a very prestigious private investigator's office," I said. There was no way to get around telling them about Edward, but I wanted to delay it as long as possible.

"Who is this friend? Do we know him or his parents? Can we trust him?" my mother questioned.

"Of course we can trust him," I snapped. Then I sighed, not wanting to yell at my parents. "Yes, there is no doubt in my mind that we can trust him. I've known him for over three years and he has never done _anything_ that would make me suspect him to be dishonest."

My father picked up on something in my tone that my mother obviously couldn't detect. Apparently he could tell I was leaving out some important information. "And just how did you meet this boy? What is his name?"

I sighed and played with the hem of the blouse I was wearing. "Edward saved me," I finally admitted. They both wore confused expressions when I looked up at them. It would be easiest to just explain everything. "Do you remember that night a few years ago when I came home with a torn dress and I told you I fell? Well, that was a bit of a lie."

I went on to explain that night in as much detail as I could manage. Alice leaned forward and wrapped her arms around me when I started getting to the tough parts, letting me go only when she felt me relax at the mention of Edward. My mother looked horrified that something like that could happen to me and my father looked downright murderous. I made sure to mention that Edward spared no expense in teaching me how to defend myself after that night.

"He's been the most wonderful friend," I finished with a smile.

Recognition flashed in my father's eyes and I knew I was done for. "The drawing," he breathed. "The one in your room. It's from him, isn't it?"

I nodded, sheepishly, not bothering to hide anything anymore.

My mother looked between my father and me before settling on me. She studied my expression for a minute before gasping. "You love him," she stated. There was no need to make it a question. I was sure it was written plainly across my face. "Is this the reason you want to get out of the engagement? Is this all a ploy so you can run off and be with that riffraff?" she added angrily.

"No!" I gasped. She didn't believe anything I'd just proven to her? "I've been telling you the truth! I can't be with James. Yes, I love Edward and want to be with him, but I knew that I didn't want this marriage – this _life_ – long before Edward ever came into the picture."

"Then why is it only coming up now, hmm? You conveniently wait until you have a reason and then shove this in our faces?"

"Renee," my father cautioned, trying to make her see reason.

"No, I will not have her do this to me," she said, raising her voice. "After all we've done for her, she will not just throw this away!" She came around the desk and leaned down in my face. "You will marry James," she hissed. "You will marry him, and you will be content with your place."

Alice gasped behind me. She knew my mother was set in her ways, but none of us knew what she was capable of when she meant business. I would never complain about cake testing again.

"I will not," I answered defiantly. My father groaned, sensing that there was something bad coming. "Everything in my life up to this point has been about you, Mother. Every show, every dress, every party, every _date_ has been for you. Sure, you've clothed me, had the servants feed me, done what you saw fit in raising me, but never once have you considered what was good for me."

Her expression grew more furious by the second, but I wasn't finished. The floodgates had been opened and I was powerless to stop them.

"You never once saw how everything affected me. You never cared if I wanted to do something else," I accused. "You had a plan and, goddammit, you were going to stick to that plan. But that was your plan, Mom. What about what I wanted?" My tone grew softer here as all the pieces finally clicked together in my head. "Nothing I did was ever good enough for you. I wanted to make you happy, but I couldn't. You wanted more than I could give. Why couldn't you just be happy for me?" My voice broke at the last question.

My mother looked stunned. Her mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water, searching for something to say. I could have sworn I saw a tear fall before she turned and hurried out of the room. I choked back a sob as my dad wrapped his arms around me.

"Shh, Bella, it's okay," he said, soothingly running his hands up and down my back.

By the time I'd cried myself to the point of exhaustion, I was curled up like a little girl on my father's lap. The room was empty except for the two of us. He must have finally figured out what I needed in a father.

"I remember when I used to do this for you when you were little," he whispered. "But your mother insisted that you couldn't be coddled anymore when she thrust you into those pageants. I didn't know how to react, so I backed off. I'm so sorry, Bella."

I curled further into him, silently forgiving him. After a while, I finally needed to speak. I needed to know what he was thinking.

"Daddy?" He softly hummed an acknowledgement. "You believe me, right?"

"Of course," he assured me. "If you hadn't meant it, you would have given up long before now. Your love for this Edward has nothing to do with you wanting to end your betrothal – well, it does, but that's not my point – it simply gave you the courage you needed to finally fight for _you_ instead of trying to make everyone else happy. You needed that, and I am so proud of you, Bella."

"Thanks," I said with a small smile. I reluctantly moved off his lap having calmed down. "So what happens now?" I asked, curling up in the wingback chair in the corner.

"Well, I suspect I will have to calm your mother down and get her to see reason," he answered. "Then you need to tell James. We will invite them over for dinner tomorrow night, but you need to tell him."

I nodded solemnly. There was no way out of it. I knew I had would have to step up and claim responsibility.

"Once all of this blows over – and it will, Bella, I promise – I think it would be a good idea if we met this Edward," he said carefully.

To be honest, I'd expected it. I'd been waiting for my father to ask more about Edward. By finally realizing that I was still that little girl, he was finally being the father I always needed. With that, however, came the over-protectiveness that had been missing for a long time.

"You know he's not from any of the families Mother deems acceptable, right?"

"If he was, you wouldn't have been so hesitant to tell us about him, would you?"

He had a point. None of this would be an issue if Edward had been born into the right family. But none of that mattered to me, and I needed to make my mother see that.

"You'll get to meet him," I conceded. "But I have a few conditions."

"Conditions? My, my, Bella. You're getting demanding," my father teased.

I juvenilely stuck my tongue out at him. He just laughed and I knew it was safe to continue. "Well, first of all, I don't want Mother to be there the first time. It will be better for everyone involved if you can assess the situation first." He nodded, but there was still one more condition that I knew would make all the difference. "Also, I want to be able to pick where we meet."

"Why can't he just come over for dinner on a night when your mother has some function?" he questioned, clearly confused.

I sighed. "He's not used to this, Dad. He's used to the occasional fancy meal and minimal family contact. He's been rebuilding his life after a tough five years and it wouldn't be fair to thrust him into something completely new like this," I tried to explain.

My father, having stepped back into the protective role, noted the one thing I hoped he wouldn't. "Rebuilding? How much did he screw up to need to rebuild?"

"Daddy, he's not a bad person," I began.

"And that introduction makes me even more worried…"

"His parents were killed in a car crash," I stated. He grimaced and I knew he'd pay more attention now. "He was devastated. That one night ruined his life. He dropped out of college, got mixed up in drugs. He never got involved in alcohol because of the drunk driver that killed his parents…. By the time he finally started to get a hold on his own life, he saw himself as a monster. Everyone keeps telling me that the only reason he started changing was because of me. He quit smoking. He's clean of all the drugs. He finally went to see his family. I don't think he'll ever be the person he was before, but it doesn't matter. He'll never be perfect, but I don't care. He's perfect in his own right."

My father sat back in his chair with a sigh. This was a lot to take in at once. His daughter was in love with a complicated man. He had been a drug addict, but he was clean. He had been a shell of a man, but he was healing. I saw that he was still not sure of how to react.

"He loves me, Daddy," I added. "I've loved him longer than I want to admit. It just feels… right. Like everything just fits. At least give him a chance."

He finally nodded. "Alright. Just tell me where and when."

I ran over and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Thank you. Don't worry, you'll like him. I just know it."

"You're not the one that has to go talk to your mother about this now," he grumbled. I chuckled and went to leave, but he called my name again. "When your mother hasn't been able to reach you… have you been staying with him?"

"Yes," I admitted reluctantly. "But it's nothing like what you're thinking. There is no reason to clean off the shotgun."

"Just… be careful."

"I will," I promised. "Call my cell if you need me. I'll be back tomorrow. I just…. I can't stay tonight."

He nodded in understanding and kissed me on the cheek before sending me on my way.

I hurried up to my room only to be thrown backwards when Alice charged at me. Her arms swung around my waist and she practically squeezed me to death.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," she said frantically. "I would never have made you do any of this if I knew it was going to be like that!"

Jasper came over with a guilty smile and extracted his wife from my torso. "Are you okay?" he asked gently.

I nodded and went to sit on my bed. "I'm fine, honestly. My dad is being great about all of this. He even agreed to meet Edward somewhere other than here. It's just my mom I need to worry about."

"So everything went well?" Alice prodded.

"Well, it looks like we're having the Whitlocks over for dinner tomorrow," I said nonchalantly.

"And will this dinner include a talk with you and the bastard that chucked that rock on your finger?" she continued.

"In theory," I said. "It may just dissolve into a yelling match, but either way, I'm not going to bed with this thing on my finger tomorrow night."

"And tonight?" Jasper inquired.

I sighed and ran my fingers over the top edge of the frame with Edward's sketch. "I can't stay here," I whispered. "Would you mind driving me over to Edward's?"

Fifteen minutes later, I was saying goodbye to Jasper and Alice before sprinting up to Edward's door. I didn't tell him I was coming, but I knew he would be home. Hopefully he would be happy to see me.

I took a deep breath before knocking. No one answered right away, but I heard some hushed tones inside. After about a minute and a second knock, the door swung open to reveal Emmett's large form.

He looked confused when he first looked at me, but then his face broke into a smile as he swung me around in a huge bear-hug. "Baby Bell!" he exclaimed happily. "We expected a phone call, not a conjugal visit!"

"Emmett!" I heard Rosalie scold. "Put her down before you break her and stop making jokes like that."

I laughed as he finally put me down. "Hey guys, it's good to see you," I said, not daring to look for the one face I desperately needed to see.

Rosalie was looking back and forth between me and him. She sighed and nudged my face, forcing me to look at him. I nearly melted at the sight of him. He looked like a little boy who suspected that Santa wasn't real, but someone was about to confirm it. His eyes were trained on my left hand.

I was frozen in place, not knowing what to do. Was he mad at me? Did he not want to see me? Emmett and Rose looked happy enough to see me, but Edward looked almost _broken_.

"You still have his ring," he finally breathed.

I sighed internally, hoping that was the only problem. There was a simple solution to that.

"It will be gone tomorrow whether the asshole likes it or not," I stated.

Edward's head snapped up at that, his eyes meeting mine. They finally held some hope. It pained me that he even considered for a second that I would leave him. "Really?" he asked, needing the confirmation.

"Edward Anthony Masen Jr.," I said firmly, "I love you, not him, and if I had to spend one more second engaged to him, I would have thought about running away. As it stands," I added with a smirk. "My father is very interested in meeting you."

His smile shone brightly on his face as he rushed forward. He leaned down to pick me up, muting my squeal of surprise with his lips and urging me to wrap my legs around his waist. I pulled back after a few seconds to laugh at his exuberance.

"Thank god," Rose sighed. "We thought he was going to shut down."

"Looks like that won't be an issue, babe," Emmett laughed.

Edward was still holding me close to him, kissing every inch of my skin that he could reach and whispering how much he loved me. I savored the passion and longing behind his actions, but I needed him to calm down.

I threaded my fingers into his hair and pulled back. He continued to fight against me as I started whispering to him. "Edward, as much as I love this, and as much as I love you, you need to put me down," I said.

His lips connected with the juncture of my neck and shoulder and he started to suck at it. My breath hitched in my throat and he smiled slightly against my skin. The idiot was proud of himself.

"Edward," I tried again. He sucked harder and I had to restrain a moan. "Baby, Emmett is still here…. He looks like he's about to make popcorn and watch the show…."

That got his attention. He grudgingly helped me back onto the floor, but kept his arms around me. I was more than happy to allow him that; I didn't want to let him go either.

"Damn, I thought we were gonna get free porn," Emmett mumbled.

"Ew, Emmett!" I complained. "Grow up!"

"He never will," Rose lamented. "He'll always be an overgrown five-year old."

"So, Baby Bell, to what do we owe your presence?" Emmett questioned, trying to direct the attention away from himself.

We spent the next half hour going over what happened with my parents. Edward tensed up when I described my mother's reaction, but I distracted him with the discussion I had with my dad. Everyone seemed happy to know that I was on good terms with at least one member of my family.

Emmett and Rose finally left after I assured them more than once that everything was fine. They had no reason to be concerned anymore.

As soon as they closed the door, Edward wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap. I relaxed into his embrace, content to just be with him.

"This is so much better than a phone call," he murmured into my hair.

"I know," I replied. "I figured you'd be worried because of how nervous I was earlier, so I wanted to come in person. Plus, I couldn't stay in my house tonight. Not with my mother contemplating a trip to the courthouse to get me married off as soon as possible."

He cringed. "Is it really that bad?"

I sighed and curled into him further. "I don't know, to be honest," I admitted. "She acted like it was the end of the world, but Dad seems to think he can make her see reason. We'll see how that goes."

"But your dad's fine with it?"

"I'm not sure 'fine' is an appropriate word, but he seems to be accepting the change."

"And he wants to meet me?"

The waver in Edward's voice made me look up. He was trying to keep a calm exterior, but his eyes betrayed him. He looked nervous.

"Well, considering all the great stuff I've told him about you, I'm sure he's got some sort of hero worship for you," I teased. That got him to laugh, but his eyes still held some anxiety. "Seriously, Edward, this is a good thing. If he didn't want to meet you, it would mean that he didn't care. I'll be there the whole time and we're not even going to be at my house."

He looked confused by that and I explained the deal I'd struck with my father. Edward relaxed as I explained the situation. This wasn't just about him, this was about me and helping my dad learn about me.

"So, any idea when or where this will happen?" Edward asked.

"Where else would it be? He needs to meet Jake and the boys eventually," I laughed. Just the thought of introducing my father to a few gay boys was hilarious. Edward seemed to agree and joined in my laughter. "As for when, I'll let you know. Maybe this weekend after everything blows over or something."

We spent the next hour or so just talking. Edward wanted to make sure that I was ready for everything. He knew how worried I was about approaching my parents with the information, but actually talking to James was going to be the hardest part of the process.

But still, I wasn't worried. I'd come to the conclusion that I didn't need to worry about it. Edward was my life now. James no longer had any control over me and I couldn't let him gain it back. I needed to inform him that I was done, and I couldn't leave any room for argument.

I spent that night wrapped in Edward's arms. That was starting to be the only place that I could fall asleep. Spending so much time with him was spoiling me.

Jasper came to pick me up the next day before lunch. Edward didn't want to let me go, but I wasn't making it easy either. I kept sneaking in little kisses whenever I could. By the time Jasper got there, I was curled in Edward's lap on the couch, refusing to move.

The car ride home was quiet. I only asked Jasper if he and Alice would be at dinner, but he cautiously admitted that they already had plans with one of his colleagues. I nodded, resigned to the fact that I really did have to deal with this on my own.

I passed the time before dinner in my room. My attention was split between the ring I was hoping to get off my finger and the sketch on my bedside table. I didn't bother hiding it anymore because I couldn't deal with hiding what I felt for Edward.

A few hours after lunch, there was a gentle knock on my door. I turned around to see my mother hesitating in the doorway. I'd avoided my parents when I came home, only alerting my father to my arrival. I had no idea how their talk went the night before, so I had no idea what to expect.

"You can come in," I said, gesturing for her to sit down.

She sat on the edge of my bed while I sat against the headboard. Neither of us said anything right away.

"I see where you're coming from," she finally said. My brow furrowed, but I didn't say anything in the hope that she would continue. "I don't agree with your decision to end the engagement, but I understand your reasoning at least to an extent."

"I wasn't really ever asking for your input," I mumbled. "Shit, that came out wrong…."

"No," she chuckled. "That's rather close to what I expected. I realize after last night that you don't particularly appreciate the way I raised you, but you need to understand that that's how I was raised. I never saw an issue with it, but with the times changing as they are I can understand how you would. When I was little, I just wanted to have a little girl that got even better than I did. It's taken me a very long time to realize just how good I have it with your father. He always treated me like a princess and I took it for granted. When we watched you and James, it looked like that. We really thought this would be a good match for you."

I shrugged and wrapped my arms around my legs. "I didn't want to disappoint you," I said.

She nodded and sighed. "I know that now. But you have to know that we never saw any reason to doubt how he treated you until recently," she said. "We never thought this was a bad match."

"It was in theory," I admitted. "Everything seemed like it would work. But no one anticipated James turning into a quasi-abuser."

"Did he ever hurt you?" she asked quietly.

"No. Nothing more than little comments here and there," I assured her. "He just likes the control he has over me. He wanted me to be one of those 1950s housewives, and that's just not me. I want to do something with my life, Mom. I want to go to college, maybe get a degree in business or something. I can't be the girl you want me to be."

Renee Swan, my stoic, closely guarded mother turned to me with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to force you into anything," she said. "I guess I never realized how much I was hurting you. You obviously love this boy, this… Edward, and it would be a shame to ruin that."

I was taken aback by her change of heart. After her outburst the night before, I didn't expect anything but animosity from her regarding my decision to end the engagement and I wasn't sure that I fully trusted this switch.

"I'll admit that I don't really trust your sudden jump to my side of the bandwagon," I said after a few seconds, "but I'm hoping that this is genuine. So thank you."

She nodded, but didn't say anything else as she left me to myself.

The ring on my finger seemed to gain weight as the day progressed. What used to feel like an insignificant rock finally felt like it meant something. It symbolized the union I'd always dreamt of, but with the wrong person. No, this ring was the final thing tying me to the life my mother planned out for me.

I wanted it gone as soon as possible.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. Edward made a point to call me to see how I was doing. He reminded me that he loved me all throughout our conversation. It was sweet, cheesy, and exactly what I needed at that moment.

I made the choice to not wear a dress like my mother always expected and threw on a nice pair of jeans with a blouse Alice had given me. It was a slightly more obvious representation of my newfound control over my own life.

I joined my father in his study once he came home from work. He did a double take when he saw what I was wearing, but only commented that it looked nice. We spent the time going over exactly what I would say to James so as not to go about it in a disrespectful manner. I could give the bastard that much and not stoop to his level.

The sound of the doorbell jolted me out of a daydream. Sadly, that meant it was time to face my fears. Hopefully everything would go smoothly, but I was determined to make it out free to be with Edward.

"Renee! How wonderful to see you!" I heard Mrs. Whitlock in the foyer.

"Charles, did you hear about that new merger across town? Dreadful for business nowadays, just dreadful," Mr. Whitlock drawled to my father. In all my life, I'd never heard that man talk about anything other than work and football.

"Please, come in and sit," my mother told them with a smile, ushering them into the living room.

"Ah, Isabella," Mrs. Whitlock greeted me, kissing the air to either side of my face.

She'd only developed that trait after visiting Europe two summers ago. Alice and I had often groaned to each other when she entered a room, finding the gesture to be fake and pretentious. As much as we admired the woman, she was first and foremost a social climber.

"Great to see you, Mrs. Whitlock," I answered warmly.

Mr. Whitlock gave me a curt nod in greeting before he and my father huddled in the corner to talk about the apparently important merger. James was the last to enter, acting the charmer in front of my mother as usual.

"Ah, Isabella," he said when he saw me. It was anything but a warm greeting. He sounded like he was talking to a four year old. "Oh, have you run out of your dresses already? Well, we'll have to get you some new ones, then. I was sure my sister-in-law had bought you some new ones just last week. No problem. We'll go out tomorrow."

I put on my best smile. "Alice bought me three new dresses last week, actually," I admitted. "But I thought I'd try something different tonight. I just wasn't in the mood for a dress."

His brow furrowed and he must have noticed my mother's groan. It was hard to miss. I almost regretted not changing into a dress, but the confusion on James' face was well worth it.

"I suppose it looks alright," he stated. "A little cheap, but at least you don't look like one of those girl on the corners with their rears hanging out."

"Well, isn't that wonderful," I mumbled tersely. "Actually, James, I was hoping I could talk to you about something in private," I added at a normal volume.

"But of course," he agreed.

I politely excused us from our parents and led James out of the room. My father gave me an encouraging smile as I passed him, but my mother looked less than thrilled at having to break the news to Mrs. Whitlock.

"What is it this time? Did you change your mind on the color scheme? Do we have to change everything now?" he asked as I led him to the formal parlor.

He stopped when we entered the room, but I kept going until I stood in front of the bookshelves on the opposite side, putting as much space between us as I could manage.

I started to open my mouth to answer his questions, but nothing came out. Everything I'd gone over with my father was completely wiped from my brain.

"Isabella? You look pale," he said, coming over to me to get a closer look. I put my hand up to stop him and backed away to where he was previously standing. Thankfully, he didn't try to follow me. "What's going on? As your future husband, I have a right to know what is going on in your life. You have an obligation to tell me." His words were clipped short, accenting his point.

"I'm not marrying you," I blurted out.

I felt a huge amount of satisfaction when his jaw visibly dropped. He obviously never thought I could do this. Of course, there had been no reason for me to do it in his eyes. He believed this match was perfect.

"W-what?" he sputtered. "What are you talking about? That ring on your finger means that you are indeed marrying me."

"I'm not marrying you," I repeated. My voice was stronger than before. "I _can't_ marry you." I took a deep breath before I was able to continue. The proverbial floodgates were finally open and I just said what I felt I needed to say. "My entire life has been about others. I was taught to care about what society thought of me and live in a perfect life from that aspect, never straying from the vision of what they wanted me to be. I would become a housewife. I would marry into a wealthy family. I would bear however many children my husband wanted. I would live up to the expectations of my parents and grandparents. But in the past few years – the past few _months_, really – my view on the world has changed. Originally, I thought that all I needed was to make my parents happy and I would be happy. But then I saw what Alice and Jasper have and I started to realize that there was more to life than social status."

I forced myself to leave out any mention of Edward, but he was definitely in the foreground of my thoughts. The memories of his kisses and the feeling of his arms around me surged through my mind, and I continued with a new determination.

"When they got married, I figured they were just like any other socialite couple and just happened to have a deeper connection. I figured that if I was to get engaged that I could grow to love him and live the life that was expected of me. I didn't really grasp what they had at first. They are truly happy and truly love each other. I want that.

"I've realized that I can't allow myself to be married without that connection, without that love. I can't see how some lying, cheating player like you could ever dream of giving me that happiness. For the first time in my life, I _know_ I deserve more than you. I deserve batter. I deserve to be loved for who I really am and not who society turned me into."

James stared at me incredulously, as if I would suddenly laugh it all off as a joke. That wasn't going to happen. I stayed silent for a minute, letting what I said sink in and giving him a window of opportunity to react. He didn't.

I slid the large diamond ring off my finger and gently set it on the coffee table between us. "I'm done," I said simply.

With that, I turned and walked back to the living room on my own. The scene that I found was surprising to say the least. Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock were seated on the sofa opposite my own parents, but it looked pleasant. Nothing looked tense or strained. There was no yelling or arguing.

Mrs. Whitlock smiled when she saw me come back. She hurried over to give me a hug. "Aw, honey," she said soothingly when she noticed my worried expression. "We're not upset. We want you to be happy and if that won't happen with our son, so be it."

"Thank you," I replied sincerely. "That means a lot."

We heard loud footsteps approaching and looked to see James approaching us. He paused to take in the sight of his mother's arm around my shoulders before moving past us into the living room. He joined his father on the sofa and immediately began a conversation about work.

He looked tense, more so than usual. Every once in a while, his eyes flashed to me and I saw his fists clench. For the most part, he did manage to control his temper. The only thing that betrayed his calm was his refusal to even discuss anything to do with me, the end of the engagement, or how that would affect our families. This lasted all through dinner.

When Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock decided to call it a night, James curtly bid both my parents goodnight and fled the area. His mother gave me a weak smile and lightly patted my cheek on the way out. His father muttered a short "Take care" and quickly kissed my forehead. He'd never been one to show affection, but he never failed to make Alice and me feel like we were part of the family.

"So, I'm thinking that not all went well with James," my father said when we were alone.

I shrugged. "He didn't really react while I was in the room," I replied. "He seemed too shocked to process it. But he didn't seem too happy about it after."

"You didn't have to spring it on the poor boy," my mother protested.

"I think it was better this way, to be perfectly honest," I said. "Didn't you always say it was better just to rip the band-aid off instead of going bit by bit? This is kind of like that. Besides, he probably wouldn't believe me otherwise."

"Just know that this may not be a simple thing. It may not go away easily," she said.

I nodded, but didn't offer anything else. "Do you need me to stay here tonight, or can I leave for the night?"

My mother sighed and gave a sweeping gesture, resigned that I would be leaving anyway. My father just chuckled, knowing I was ready to bolt.

"One question," he asked when I turned to leave. "Do I need to beat him up for deflowering my little girl?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nice, Dad. You know me better than that."

Twenty minutes later, I was walking up to Edward's door. I didn't want to bother Alice and Jasper because they had plans and it was only a few blocks. I made sure to stay in the well lit, populated areas with my cell phone out just in case. Edward would never forgive me for forgetting the lessons he taught me over and over. It was still early enough that there were still people around and I made it there quickly and safely.

I was slightly out of breath when I knocked on the door. There was scuffling and a muffled thud before the door opened to reveal a ruffled Edward. He looked like he'd just woken up.

"Bella," he whispered.

A smile broke across my face at the sound of his voice. "It's over," I said.

His eyes widened and shot down to see the lack of a ring on my left hand. When he met my gaze again, his smile was brilliant. He pulled me into his arms and buried his face in the crook of my neck, peppering my skin with kisses.

I knotted my fingers in his hair and reveled in his exuberance. "It's over," I repeated quietly with a smile on my face.

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**AN: This is not the end, people. I've got big plans for this and I hope you all stick around to read about them. Please let me know what you think about this chapter! Making it to double digits with reviews for this chapter will get a teaser.**

**Next chapter: Edward meets the esteemed Mr. Swan.**

**This month is full of work, so I doubt I will be able to post in a timely manner, but I will try. Check my profile for updates! :)**

**-Kaylee**


	18. Drill Sergeant Swan

**AN: At this rate, I shouldn't even bother apologizing. It's all the same excuse. I should be able to get the next one out in less than a month, though, since my last paper is due in two weeks (I should get to work on that...). After that, I will have way more time to write. Hopefully the two teasers I gave you helped ease the time a little. There was a grand total of 12 reviews for the last chapter, which is amazing. Thank you guys so much!! :) And thanks to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, once again for being an awesome beta!**

**And without further ado, Edward and Charlie will finally meet....**

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**Chapter 16 – Drill Sergeant Swan**

EPOV

She looked so happy.

I gazed down at Bella, her head resting on my chest and a smile emblazoned across my face. Seeing her so comfortable sleeping with me, pulling me closer, and simply wanting to be with me was mind-blowing. She had asked to stay the night with me for the first time and I was not in any position to deny her.

My gaze kept shooting to her left hand, noting with no small amount of satisfaction the lack of a ring on her third finger. I gently kissed her knuckle as I caressed the hand that was resting on my chest. It was still early and she needed the sleep, so I didn't want to chance waking her.

The other night had played witness to a whirlwind of emotions, especially for Bella. When the realization finally set in that her entire life had changed, she completely broke down in my arms. I knew it was mostly relief and the expression of pent up emotions, but it killed me to see her like that. I held her for almost an hour before she finally calmed down enough to apologize. By the time I'd gotten her to realize that this was all a good thing and that I didn't care if she cried all over my shirt, she was sufficiently tuckered out.

We'd spent a lot of time together over the past few days when I wasn't at work. Bella was working on trying to get her life in order and looking through college pamphlets and finding job opportunities.

Saturday morning she was safely tucked in my bed and wrapped in my arms. There was nothing better in the world.

Her cheek nuzzled into my skin some time later and her breathing pattern changed enough to let me know that she was waking up. I ran my hand up and down her back and kissed the top of her head.

"Good morning, love," I whispered.

"No, still dark," she muttered. She pulled my hand up and over her eyes to block out the minimal light that was peeking through the thick blinds. "Dark means sleep."

"It's almost noon," I countered. "We need to get up, Bella."

Her hand flopped around until she found my face. She covered my mouth with her tiny hand and shushed me. "No moving, Edward. Too comfy," she mumbled into my skin.

I chuckled and kissed her palm before removing her hand. "I need to go into work today," I admitted. "So even if you don't get up, I need to."

That finally got her attention. Though it wasn't the reaction I was expecting.

She looked up at me with wide, pleading eyes. "You're going to leave me all alone in this nice, big bed?"

My jaw dropped and my train of thought took a detour to the seediest, darkest, most creative area of my mind. That one question – and the tone of voice in which it was spoken – led to fantasies I'd been working to repress for a few years. I blinked a couple times before I was able to process that it had been a simple, innocent question.

I cleared my throat quickly and composed myself before she could notice that I'd gotten slightly carried away. "Well, I was actually hoping that you'd spend the day with me before we meet up with your dad," I asked hesitantly. "I know Rose would love to have another girl in the shop. We can even teach you the basics of running the counter so you don't feel like you're doing nothing all day."

Bella smiled up at me and kissed my chest. "That sounds like a great idea. Just let me jump in the shower," she said. She started to get up, but I held her in place. "What?" she sighed.

I smirked. "You forgot something," I said.

Her smile told me she knew where I was going with that, but she decided to play coy. "How can I forget something when I haven't even gotten out of bed? Pray tell, Mr. Cullen," she teased.

"This," I growled softly before leaning down and capturing her lips between mine.

She responded with more enthusiasm than I had expected for someone who just woke up. Her fingers threaded into my hair and she squealed a little when I flipped her over. A smile lit up her entire face.

"This is nice," she murmured between kisses, "waking up like this…"

"Get used to it, baby," I smirked. "There will hopefully be a lot more mornings like this."

She groaned and turned her head to the pillow. "There might not be," she grumbled.

I sat up abruptly, my face contorting in confusion and worry. Her eyes widened when she took in my expression and she sat up as well. She cupped my cheek in her hand.

"Not like that, Edward," she quickly assured me. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise. What I meant was, now that my dad knows I've been staying over here, he might not want me to do it very often…"

I thought about that for a minute. If her father was willing to meet me, doesn't that automatically mean that he is okay with this?

_Uh, wrong_, I realized. _It only means that he wants to size you up and take notes on reason to keep her from you._

Shit.

"Are you sure he doesn't hate me on principle?" I asked in defeat.

Bella grimaced. "I think the only things you have going for you right now are the night we met and the fact that I love you," she said.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "Well, hopefully that's enough. Somehow I doubt it…"

"I love you," she replied with a smile.

"I love you too. Now go get dressed," I said, getting off the bed.

The shop was busy with coeds even though the school year was over. They probably had internships in the city. Drew was working the front and visibly relaxed when he saw Bella and I walk in.

"Thank god you're finally here. It's been a freakin' madhouse," he said frantically. "There's a wait about ten people long and we've been trying to fit piercings in between tats and it's not working."

I chuckled. "Calm down. Everything will be fine. Are Rose and Pete both doing ink right now?"

"Yeah, Rose is in the back with an appointment and Pete's got a frilly butterfly over there," he said, pointing to one of the visible tattoo stations in the front.

"Great. You take over the piercings for now and I'm going to show Bella the ropes up here for a little while," I said.

He looked hesitant. I didn't normally let him do anything beyond manning the front since he didn't have much experience, so I could understand his reaction.

I just chuckled and pushed him out of the way. "Go. You'll be fine," I said, giving him a reassuring smile.

He beamed and ran off to deal with the people who were waiting for piercings. Bella and I settled into the area behind the front desk. I started calling people over to sign them in and discuss what they wanted done.

Bella was enthralled with everything. She was really interested in what everyone had to say and what information they gave freely. There were a few regulars that I chatted with whom she seemed even more interested in. Her eyes just lit up if they told the stories of their body art and what made them have it done.

"Bella!" Rose called when she finally finished the design she'd been working on. "Edward didn't tell me you were coming!"

"Hey Rose!" Bella answered excitedly. "I didn't know I was coming until this morning. We're meeting up with my dad later tonight."

The two girls started chatting animatedly. It was good to see that they got along so well. Rose needed someone other than me to talk to when she wanted to get away from Emmett. Bella needed someone other than her two fairly-newlywed friends. They would be good for each other. I kissed the top of Bella's head and left to take Rose's place.

Working helped to take my mind off the coming introduction that night. I'd never admit to Bella how scared I was to meet her father. Even though he had seemed to be a minor part in her life for so long, he was finally starting to actively take back his role as a father.

At five-thirty, Bella found me in the back room and said she was leaving to go back to her place to get her dad. Rose had offered to drive her back. Pete and Drew assured us that they could handle the store alone for a half hour until Rose came back.

"So, we'll meet you there by six-fifteen, okay?" she asked, holding onto my hand and looking reluctant to leave.

"I'll be there," I told her, "in our usual spot. Although I'm thinking I should probably go home and change, huh?" I didn't want to meet my possible future father-in-law in holey jeans a grungy tank top.

"Good idea," she laughed. "So I'll see you soon, then?"

"The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll see me again." I stood up and gave her a tender kiss. "I love you, Bella. Nothing that happens tonight will change that. I promise."

She smiled and gave me another kiss. "I love you too."

I hurried home after letting Pete and Drew know they were on their own for a while. Drew looked a little apprehensive about being given so much responsibility in one day, but he knew what he was doing and Pete was more than capable of handling any issues that might arise.

To be perfectly honest, I half-expected Emmett to be waiting in my apartment when I got there because of Rose telling him how nervous I was for this dinner, but my place was thankfully empty and silent when I got there.

The volume level changed quickly.

I tried to find a suitable outfit to wear, but nothing seemed right. By the third time I changed, I was swearing at the top of my lungs. In the end, I settled on a navy blue button down shirt with faded jeans and a clean, white undershirt.

The nerves finally hit me when I pulled my shoes back on. This was Bella's father that I was about to meet. I needed to make an exceptionally good impression and, even then, he might not accept me as a part of Bella's life.

But I still needed to try. I needed to do this for Bella. I couldn't give up just because I was intimidated by her father.

I headed over to New Moon pizza and got there a few minutes before six. Jake spotted me as I walked in and hurried to the front to meet me.

"Hey, where's our girl?" he said with a smile.

"She's coming in soon," I said. "But it's dinner for three tonight, so be prepared."

"I didn't think you guys were into that stuff!" Jake accused. His eyes were bright as he considered the possibilities, which I didn't even want to think about, knowing it was her dad that would be joining us. "You should have told me first! What happened to loyalty?"

"It's not what you think, Jake," I said calmly. I didn't want to get him too riled up and then leave Bella to deal with it. "Seriously, don't mention it in front of them."

"Alright, alright, I won't," he said, holding up his hands in surrender.

"Thanks." I walked toward the back of the seating area and our usual table.

"Don't I get to know who it is?" he whined like a little girl.

I just laughed and didn't answer him.

Ten minutes later, I heard Bella's voice carry through the restaurant and a smile found its way onto my face immediately. Jake gave her an overly enthusiastic greeting, but his voice cut off seconds later. She must have told him that the man with her was her father. What I wouldn't give to have seen the expression on that flamboyant boy's face….

But I stayed at the table, nervously running my fingers through my hair.

It didn't take long for Bella to appear around the corner. Her face lit up in a smile when she saw me and she abandoned the poor man next to her.

"Hey," she said happily, throwing her arms around my neck when I stood up to greet her.

"Hi," I answered, my hands automatically going to her hips before I remembered that her father could see me. "Should you be making the introductions, love?" I whispered.

"Right, sorry," she said.

Her father made it over to the table then. He stood a few feet away from us, awkwardly trying not to interfere with our displays of affection. He was taller than I'd expected and didn't looked like he fit in with the higher society folks, though the flannel shirt and work boots may have been a ploy to blend in around town.

Bella turned around, making sure to keep hold of my left hand. "Dad, this is Edward Masen, my boyfriend." She looked so happy saying that. "Edward, this is my father, Charlie Swan."

"Good to meet you, sir," I said, holding out my hand.

In that moment before he shook my hand, Charlie Swan reminded me of an old, stereotypical drill sergeant. He was intimidating as hell and looked about ready to scream in my face if I did one thing wrong. When his eyes glanced down at our hands and then his daughter's face, however, his expression softened.

"You too," he said simply, clasping my hand in his.

"Jake!" Bella called. The overgrown three-year old stuck his head around the corner in response. "Can you throw an extra large pepperoni in with our usual?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks!"

Drill Sergeant Swan shook his head in reaction to Jacob. "That boy is a lot to handle," he muttered.

"Aw, Dad, be glad he didn't do the same thing he did to Edward the first time," she said sympathetically.

I groaned. "Bella, why do you have to bring that up?"

"What did he do? Flirt with you mercilessly?"

"Worse," Bella giggled. "Practically jumped out of his pants at first glance."

"And now I'll never live it down," I finished.

Her father laughed at that and I realized the ice was broken. We all sat at the table, Bella across from me and her father next to her. She sneakily tangled her feet with mine underneath the table. Charlie looked around the whole place and nodded approvingly.

"This is a nice establishment," he said.

"We like it," Bella said proudly. "I've been coming here for about five years or so. Edward has been joining me for the last few."

"So this is where you've been running off to," he said.

She blushed and nodded. "It may or may not have turned into my escape from crappy dates too," she admitted.

Drill Sergeant Swan cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh, really?" he held that expression for almost a full minute before Bella looked away. Then he shocked us both by laughing. In that moment, he looked like a carefree man and I imagined that's how he might have been when he was younger. "Oh, Bella…. Here I was, wondering how you could even stand going on those dates, and you were too busy running out on them. That is perfect."

"Gee, thanks, Dad," she said sarcastically.

"So how did you get dragged into all this, Edward?" he asked me when his laughter died down.

I cleared my throat in an attempt to hide my surprise at being addressed directly. "Well, I believe Bella told you about how I… how we met. After that, she wanted to show her gratitude and it just became a continual thing," I explained with a shrug.

"And then he decided that I needed to learn self-defense," she added. "And by learning self-defense, I mean that he taught me how to beat the crap out of him."

Her father's eyes widened. "Bella? Fighting?"

"Yeah, Dad," she rolled her eyes. "I'm like Bruce Lee. Jackie Chan. Any one of those guys."

"She's never needed to use it," I quickly explained. "I just wanted her to know just in case something else was to happen."

"Well, thanks," Charlie said awkwardly.

That led into an awkward silence that lasted until Embry cheerfully brought out our pizza. I gratefully scooped up two slices before Bella or her father was able to get near it.

"This is so good," I mumbled as I practically inhaled the first piece.

"That's right; you didn't get a real break today," Bella mused.

"Don't worry about it," I said. "It's not the first time it's happened."

"What is it that you do for work, Edward?" her father finally asked.

"Oh, I own Twilight. It's a tattoo parlor down on third," I answered. It occurred to me that he might not take it well, learning that his daughter was in love with a tattoo artist, but I was proud of what I'd done for myself. "It's been a small place for a long time, but it's finally starting to take off."

His eyes widened at that and confirmed my suspicions. My glance shifted to Bella quickly and anxiously, but she was smiling back at me like nothing was wrong. I turned back to her father and saw that he'd managed to compose himself and cover his surprise.

"Is that a… lucrative business?" he asked carefully.

I decided the best way to deal with that particular line of questioning was honesty. "Well, it really depends. There are weeks when we pull in almost nothing, but then the next week we could have an influx of people," I said. "Some shops are also more popular than others. It's more about luck than anything else, really."

"So you're living based on inconsistent commission?" he continued nonchalantly.

"Dad," Bella hissed.

"No, it's fine," I assured her. She sighed and slouched down in her chair a bit before I continued. "It is a little hard to live on that, but I've also got…. Well, I have a good deal of money from my parents. I never really felt comfortable dipping into that, so I've been living off of what I get from the shop."

"Ah," he replied skeptically. Apparently he didn't like my answer.

"Dad," Bella repeated quietly. "He's got a good apartment, a good family, a stable job, and the money is getting better. Don't judge him on his income."

"No, no, don't get me wrong," Charlie quickly backpedaled. "I don't mean to judge you based on the money. I'm just… trying to make the picture fit in my head. The way Bella describes you is a lot different than what I see, but not in a bad way. Frankly, I'm amazed that you aren't just relying on your parents' money. So many people would just use that right off the bat and shoot through it."

"Well, sir, I've never really been one to unnecessarily spend money," I said, quickly running my fingers through my hair. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and pulled it out to see a text from Emmett.

_Sox r dwn by 1 in the 3__rd__ –Em_

"Damn," I muttered.

Bella must have heard me because she glared at me from across the table. "Was that Emmett?"

"If I say 'yes', are you going to hurt me?" I asked cautiously.

"That depends. If he's sending you the score of the game, then yes."

"I think I'll keep my mouth shut then."

"Wait, the Sox game?" Charlie asked, looking excited.

I nodded. "Down by one in the third," I admitted.

"Edward!" Bella groaned.

"I didn't ask him to do it," I protested.

"Who are they playing tonight?" her father asked.

That was the key to his acceptance. If it wasn't for baseball, there might have never been a civil conversation with that man. He easily diffused the Drill Sergeant Swan behavior and became like any other Red Sox fan, committed and vocally responsive at the loss.

Eventually we convinced Embry to keep us posted on the score. We all knew he secretly kept a TV on in the back. Bella was not happy about the distraction – though I could tell that she was overjoyed that her father and I were getting along. I held her hand across the table, kissing her knuckles lightly every now and again to remind her how much I loved her.

The conversation moved from baseball, to other sports, and eventually back to my life. I ended up telling the shorter, less painful version of my past, glossing over the addictions and other excruciating details. Bella clutched my hand in hers, knowing how much I wished those memories would just disappear from my memories altogether.

Charlie took it much better than I expected him too. "You could have done worse, kid. Back in my day, I lost more friends than I care to admit to things like that. They got sucked in and couldn't get themselves out. It seems you always had the support system to get out, though."

"Yeah, they've been great through everything," I said.

He nodded and Bella was beaming beside him. "Well, I've monopolized enough of your time tonight, so I think it's time for me to take my leave," he said. "Bella, I believe your mother expects you home for dinner tomorrow, but that's all I've heard. Feel free to spend your time elsewhere until then."

My jaw dropped at his last sentence. Was he actually giving her permission to stay with me?

Bella handled it a bit better than I did. She grinned and got up to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks, Daddy. See you tomorrow."

I snapped out of my shock and stood to shake his hand. "It was great meeting you, sir," I said.

Taking my hand, he smiled in return. "Likewise, Edward. Thank you for taking care of my little girl. I imagine I'll be seeing you around more often now, of course. Please feel free to come over for a game whenever you want."

I chuckled. "I'll let you know when I get sick of Emmett and I'll head right over. Although there is a much better reason to spend time over there," I added with a grin.

Bella rolled her eyes and hit my side. "Cheeseball," she muttered bitterly, but she was smiling.

"Okay, did anyone else think he was going to flip his shit when he realized I was about to hit on him?" Jake asked pointedly when Charlie finally walked out.

"Honey, you do come on a bit strong," Embry called from the kitchen.

"Says the one who walked into the bedroom last night in only assless chaps and a cowboy hat demanding that I-"

"And that's our cue to leave," I said, grabbing Bella's hand and hurrying out behind her father. "See you guys later."

We didn't stop for breath until we made it back to my apartment. After closing the door, I made eye contact with Bella and we both burst out laughing. She fell into my arms as she lost her balance trying to get to the couch in her laughter. We calmed soon enough as I held her in my embrace.

She looked exquisite. Her smile was breathtaking, her eyes shining with happiness. Her cheeks were a light shade of pink from the quick run back to the apartment and her hair was slightly tousled. There was no makeup to be seen, but it didn't matter.

She bit her lower lip when she noticed my staring and I had to hold back a groan. I reached up and pushed a bit of her hair out of her face. She tensed under my light touch and it was clear that she was nervous about where this might lead.

We still hadn't discussed what had happened the night of my birthday party, not to mention the morning after. There had been very few opportunities to delve into such topics and I didn't want to start now. I knew tonight wouldn't be a night for exploring more either.

I just wanted to be with her, hold her in my arms, and know that she was with me.

"I love you," I whispered. My thumb stroked her cheek as a small smile graced her lips before she met my gaze.

"I love you too, Edward," she said.

I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. There was no urgent frenzy with this kiss. It was a passionate blend of want and contentment that never peaked. Her tiny hands rested on my chest, slightly fisting in my shirt. My fingers found purchase in her hair and on the side of her waist.

She felt perfect in my arms. Her skin was creamy and soft under my hands, and her hair was smooth and silky. She only had to emit the tiniest noise or move a certain way to let me know exactly what she wanted.

I murmured my love for her between kisses and she relaxed further into me. She repeated the sentiment more than once in her wonderfully breathy voice.

Neither of us wanted it to end. Eventually, though, we were panting into each other's mouths and I decided that it was time to stop. I gave her one last chaste kiss before leading her over to the couch.

"Come on, love," I said. "Let's go watch a movie or something."

We spent the rest of the night curled under a blanket on the couch, watching whatever we could find on TV and enjoying our time together. Bella curled into me as she fell asleep resting her head on my chest. When I started nodding off, I shut the TV off and carefully carried Bella to my bed and stripped to my boxers before climbing in beside her.

I fell asleep quickly, barely registering the fact that I was becoming dependent on having Bella with me to sleep.

Morning came much earlier than I expected. I heard Bella's phone ringing as she struggled to get to it around my arm resting over her hip. It was still in her pocket since I hadn't undressed her the night before.

"Hello?" she said sleepily when she finally got it free. I couldn't tell who it was, but they sounded either excited or scared. After a second, Bella suddenly sat up, instantly more awake. "Wait, what? Back up a bit."

She continued the conversation for a while sounding excited, but nervous at the same time. When she finally hung up the phone, she sat stunned in place.

"What is it, love?" I asked carefully.

"She's pregnant," she whispered. "And hurt."

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**AN: Was it worth it? Was the cliffhanger evil? Go press the newly improved review button and let me know what you think. And I would especially appreciate feedback on the teasers being put in my profile. If there is a thread on Twilighted or anything for this, I haven't seen it and I don't have a blog for it. If it would be better to start a blog, please let know.**

**Next chapter: We find out who "she" is and what the hell happened.**

**For a teaser this time, I'll stick to the double digit rule. But for a better teaser, you all need to break the review per chapter record. That bar is currently set at 15. As always, check my profile for updates! :)**

**-Kaylee**


	19. Waiting

**AN: Here is the next chapter in celebration of the end of classes for my first year of college. I still have finals next week, but I'm almost there. I apologize for it taking so long again, but shit happens. Thanks again to my wonderful beta and everyone who reads and reviews. Now I will let you go figure out who "she" is. :)**

**Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Everything else belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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**Chapter 17 – Waiting**

BPOV

My vibrating phone in my pocket woke me up and I realized with relief that I was still clothed even though I was lying in bed with a half naked Edward. I didn't have long to ponder that, however, because it was still early.

Too early for this to be just a social call.

"Hello?" I asked groggily.

"Bella?" Jasper asked frantically enough that I almost didn't recognize his voice. "You need to get over here… Ali, she…. She just wanted to get some ice cream and now she's out and the doctor says there's no way to know if we can save both her and the baby-"

Did he just say _baby_? And why did she need to be saved? I was suddenly wide awake.

"Wait, what? Back up a bit."

He took a few deep breaths before starting again, more slowly this time. "She went out to get ice cream. She's been craving it for days and we ran out last night. I told her I'd go, but she demanded that she be able to do these things until she looks like a whale and, oh, Bella, she wanted to tell you herself…. She never made it into the store. They called me from the ER twenty minutes later and they said something about a crash and critical condition…. I don't know what to do, Bella. I didn't know who else I should call…."

"Okay, where are you?"

He managed to tell me the hospital, floor, and room she was staying in before starting to break down again. I told him to stay calm and I'd be there soon. He was falling apart and I wanted to as well, but I needed to stay strong for him.

"What is it, love?" Edward asked. I looked over at him and saw worry all across his face.

"She's pregnant," I whispered. "And hurt."

"Who, love?"

The full weight of the situation hit me then. My best friend was pregnant, in the hospital after a car crash at two in the morning, and in critical condition. The tears started falling instantly.

"Alice. She went to the store and…. We need to get to the hospital," I said, getting off the bed and thankful that I was still dressed. "Jasper's falling apart."

Edward's eyes grew huge and he scrambled to get dressed. "What hospital?"

In another twenty minutes, we were walking into the waiting room to see Jasper pacing and rubbing his hands over his face looking defeated. His shoulders sagged even further as he spotted us.

"Hey," he said, trying to crack a smile.

I didn't speak, running right up and wrapping my arms around his neck. His façade fell and I felt his shoulders shaking while he sobbed quietly into my shoulder. Tears ran down my face as well as I sought Edward's gaze. He smiled sympathetically and sat in one of the uncomfortable chairs.

"Mr. Whitlock?" we heard from across the room.

Jasper's head shot up at the sound of his name and looked at me questioningly.

"Go. I'll call everyone else."

He nodded and went to speak with the doctor. I sighed and went to sit on Edward's lap.

"It's bad," I said.

"Did he say anything to you?" he asked, running his hand up and down my back soothingly.

"He couldn't. That's how I know," I sighed.

"I can go if you'd rather stay with Jasper," he offered.

"No! I need you here," I pleaded. "You have just as much right to be here as anyone else. In fact, could you call Emmett and Rose? They should know too."

He nodded and I got off his lap to make a call of my own.

"Bella? What's wrong? Are you okay?" my father answered gruffly.

"I'm fine, Daddy," I assured him. "It's Alice. She… she's in the hospital. She's hurt." I heard him gasp. "I need you to get in touch with Ali's parents and the Whitlocks. I need to stay here with Jasper…"

"Of course, honey. Whatever you need."

I quickly rattled off the information I had before thanking him and hanging up. Jasper was still talking to the doctor, but he didn't look any better than before. Edward was still on the phone.

The seriousness of the environment around me was stifling. I collapsed into one of the chairs and wrapped my arms around my legs, trying to hold it together for Jasper. It wouldn't be easy. My best friend could be dying in the next room. She was pregnant and hadn't told me. We might never see the baby.

I choked back a sob as my mind circled through all the worst-case scenarios.

"Baby?" Edward said, gently resting his hand on my back.

"What if she doesn't make it? What if she loses the baby? I didn't even know she was pregnant. This can't happen, Edward. I can't lose, I can't…"

I looked up to his face and saw the conflicted expression he wore. He didn't know how to respond. It was then that I realized he couldn't comfort me and tell me everything would be fine. He'd been in a similar situation and everything had fallen apart for him. I could see that he wanted to help, but the words wouldn't come.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. He was still tense as I buried my face in his shoulder. "Just hold me, please."

His arms slid around me when he finally relaxed. He understood that I wouldn't ask him for reassurance. I couldn't do that to him.

I turned my head to see Jasper walking back over from talking with the doctor. He collapsed into a chair beside Edward and me.

"Nothing yet," he said. "They just got her into surgery and he said he'd keep us posted."

I reached over and took his hand, not wanting to speak and give anyone false hope or bring up old, painful memories.

"I'm guessing you don't know anything yet," we heard from across the room. Rosalie and Emmett were walking toward us with sympathetic looks on their faces. Rose hugged Jasper and Emmett gave him a firm handshake.

"I don't know what to say, man," the burly man said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks for coming, guys," Jasper whispered. "It means a lot."

"Of course we came," Rose noted. "She's a great friend and she'd do the same for us."

Jasper smiled weakly and leaned his head back against the wall in defeat. It was heartbreaking to see him like that. I instinctively clutched Edward's shirt more tightly, not even wanting to consider how I would react if I was in Jasper's place and it was Edward in surgery.

We sat in that waiting room for hours. Both the Whitlocks and Alice's parents came to show their support. My own parents came and went, promising that they would come back later in the day. Jasper switched between pacing, raking his fingers through his hair, and praying that she would pull through. Emmett and Rose left after two hours with a promise to be back after work.

Edward seemed to be taking it even harder than Jasper. He couldn't even sit still nearly as long as the rest of us. At one point he ran out of the room, saying he'd be back soon, and I had to run behind him in order to find him.

"Hey," I whispered when I found him outside the front door.

He was panting as he looked at me. His eyes were wide, pleading me not to say anything.

"I'm so sorry," I said, still not trusting my voice above a whisper. "I shouldn't have made you-"

He rushed forward and put his arms around my waist. "Don't, love," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. "You didn't make me do anything. You need me here, and I want to be here for you."

"But you can't even-"

"That's not your fault," he countered.

"No, it's not," I agreed. "But I don't want you to sit in there and silently relive the worst moments of your life. That's not fair!"

Edward reached a hand up to caress the side of my face. "You're worrying too much, Bella. I left when it got to be too much," he assured me. "And I have so much more than I had now. I have you, the woman I love."

I smiled up at him and kissed the side of his hand. "If you need to go home, I understand," I said.

He shook his head and kissed my hair. "Just go back in where it's warm. I'll be back in soon."

I nodded and gave him a quick peck on the lips before heading back into the hospital. When I made it back to the waiting room, Jasper was talking with the doctor.

"When did he come out?" I asked Alice's mom.

"Just a minute or so ago, sweetie," she said. "Hopefully they know more now."

We watched as the two men conversed. The doctor was oddly calm – though that was probably part of the job description – and seemed like he knew exactly what he was talking about. Jasper nodded at certain intervals and didn't look like he was going to break down.

"Who is that boy?" asked Mrs. Whitlock as we waited for her son to finish speaking with the doctor.

My brow furrowed as I looked at her, confused. "What boy?"

"The boy you were clinging to before," she explained. "The one you followed when he rushed out of here like he saw a ghost."

"Oh, him," I said, blushing furiously. "Well, you see… he… I…"

"Oh, honey. You don't need to explain," Alice's mother said, patting my hand sympathetically. "Charlotte is simply teasing you, dear. We can all tell that you're in love with the boy."

My mouth fell open a tiny bit as I gaped at them. Was I really that obvious? Did they think I was horrible for being with Edward so soon after leaving James? What would they think if they knew we were together before?

"Don't look so shocked, Isabella," Mrs. Whitlock chuckled. "It was clear when you left James that it was not just about being uncomfortable. This boy is clearly good for you. No one will take that from you."

I smiled at her gratefully and relaxed into my seat, no longer worried about how Edward and I would be treated in the present company.

A few minutes later, Jasper shook hands with the doctor before walking back towards us.

"She's still in critical condition, but she's almost stable. That's something at least," he explained before we even asked. His voice was calmer now, having lost some of the previous hysteria in talking to the doctor.

"Is she out of surgery yet?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Not yet. They made sure there was no internal bleeding and that her brain didn't swell. That was the most important part," he noted. "Now they need to work on resetting the broken bone in her arm, immobilizing her ankle, and making sure her head is okay. He says she'll be fine. He can't say the same for the baby…."

"Aw, honey," Mrs. Whitlock cooed as she saw a tear fall down her son's cheek. She quickly got up to hug him. "Everything will be fine. Don't you worry. Our little Alice will pull through. Just you wait."

I felt my throat contract as I tried not to think of more worst-case scenarios. A gentle hand on my shoulder let me know that Edward was back in the room, but I couldn't bear to turn around to see his face.

We spent another long stretch of time in the waiting room. I stretched out on the small couch with my head in Edward's lap while we waited. He stroked my hair and tried to calm me down whenever I started to cry. Jasper was finally calming down. One of his older brothers, Joshua, had come and brought a few things from Jasper and Alice's apartment. Jasper had found Alice's iPod in the bag and spent most of his time listening to that to distract himself.

The hardest thing was seeing the doctors come and go as if nothing was wrong. They were just doing their job and trying to stay calm, but it was so hard for the rest of us to see that and not know what was going on.

I looked up at Edward and saw him watching me with concern in his eyes. I reached up and cupped his face in my hand.

"Distract me, please," I whispered. "I won't ask you to tell me everything will be bright and dandy, but I just need to stop thinking about it."

"I love you," he said with a smile.

"I love you too," I replied. "Will you tell me a story or something? Even after almost four years of knowing you, I feel like I only really know part of you. You've never once told me about growing up with your big lug of a cousin."

He chuckled quietly. "Well, he was even worse when he was younger, always trying to get me to toughen up. He told me that I shouldn't keep drawing if I wanted to be respected. 'Only football players get respected,' he said. He was the star running back on the high school team all four years."

"That certainly sounds like Emmett," I laughed.

We took our time swapping stories of our childhood to pass the time. I told him about the awkwardness of being a third wheel even before Jasper and Alice started dating. He told me about introducing Rosalie and Emmett. We shared our different school experiences, his in a suburban public school and mine in an urban private school. I bombarded him with questions about college since I'd never gotten to go, but always wanted to.

Finally, at around six, the doctor came back out to talk to Jasper. He visibly relaxed as the doctor spoke to him. That was a good sign. After a few minutes, Jasper shook the man's hand vigorously before coming back over toward us.

"She's going to be okay," he said with a relieved sigh. "He said she's resting in a recovery room and she's allowed two visitors at a time."

"You and Bella," Alice's mother said right away. "The two of you deserve to go in there first."

We looked around and saw everyone else nodding. I sighed and gave Edward a kiss on the cheek before going to walk with Jasper.

"Is she awake?" I asked as we headed to the room.

"Not yet. They're weaning her off the sedatives now, so she should wake up soon," he answered.

"And the baby?" My voice was quiet now. He seemed happy with how things were going now, but I wasn't sure if this would set him off again.

Jasper ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, it seems like everything is fine. Steady heartbeat, everything like that. But there's no telling what could happen in the long run," he said. "We just have to hope everything stays the same."

I nodded. "I'm so happy for you guys, Jazz," I told him with a smile. "I'm just sad that I had to find out about it this way."

"Me too, Belly," he said, putting his arm around my shoulders. I slid my arm around his waist as we came to the room we were looking for. Jasper took a deep breath before opening the door.

To be perfectly honest, I had expected worse. I expected her to be on about ten machines, to have her head bandaged up, to not be breathing on her own…. Alice was lucky from the looks of it. She had a cast around her left arm and a splint with an elastic bandage around her opposite ankle. There was an IV in her arm, but I had no idea what the medicine in it was. She was also hooked up to two separate monitors, one for each different heartbeat.

I didn't see any bump or protrusion under the sheet, but it didn't matter. I listened to that second monitor with the quicker, shallower beat and smiled. My best friend was going to have a baby.

By the time I finally snapped back to reality, Jasper was already clutching his wife's hand and perched in a chair by her side. I walked closer to the bed and saw her chest rising and falling slowly with her breaths. If she was already breathing that evenly with no problems, she would recover. I just knew it.

I took the bag of things that Joshua had brought and set them up around the room where I thought they would be appropriate. Alice would bite my head off for it later, but it would give her something to complain about beyond her current predicament.

"You going to be okay?" I asked Jasper when I was done. I figured it was time to let some other people come in.

"Yeah, but don't ask me to move," he said. He looked up at me with a determined expression on his face. "I'm not moving my ass from this chair."

I smirked. "Wouldn't have expected anything else."

The smile didn't leave my face as I returned to the waiting room. Everyone turned when they saw me coming and didn't even bothering asking me what was going on.

"She's okay," I said. "She's breathing on her own and everything. Jasper is staying in there, but you guys can head in one at a time if you want."

Alice's parents heaved a collective sigh of relief, Jasper and Alice's mothers both crying as they held each other. The men smiled at one other and elected Alice's dad to go in first.

Edward stood to the side, slightly out of place, but still there to support me. I hurried over to him and flung my arms around him.

"How is she really?" he asked quietly as he laid a gentle kiss in my hair.

"She's really okay. She's got a cast on her arm, a splint on her ankle, and an IV. But she's breathing on her own, her head isn't bandaged at all, so she couldn't have hit it too hard. And that baby's heart is going strong," I told him. "Unless someone missed something, it's really going to be okay."

"I'm so glad, love," he said with a smile. "You would have been devastated…"

"But it's okay now," I assured him.

I thought back to Jasper's face when he began his bedside vigilance. Nothing would get him to move from that spot. He wanted to be there for Alice in any way he could, even if it was just to hold her hand and tell her just how much she meant to him.

My fingers clutched at the back of Edward's shirt as my thoughts proceeded. What if Edward were the one in the hospital bed? What if there was even the slightest chance that he wouldn't make it? I couldn't deal with that.

"Bella? Baby, are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

I nodded as I pulled myself closer to him. "I just thought of how Jasper must be feeling," I explained. "I would be a wreck if it was you." I looked up at his face and saw love reflected in his eyes. "I can't lose you, Edward."

His hand reached up to cup my cheek. "Don't think like that," he said seriously. "I'm right here with you."

"I love you," I said, putting my head back on his shoulder.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of you saying that," Edward replied, his arms tightening around me.

Edward stayed with me in the waiting room as the others filed in and out of Alice's room. He ignored the looks he and I were getting from Alice's family and the Whitlocks. When it came time for him to go to Alice's room, after everyone else had gone in, the other people in the room zoned in on me.

"So, who is he?" Joshua asked, breaking the silence.

When Jasper, Alice, and I were younger, Joshua was the one of Jasper's brothers that made sure we didn't do anything stupid. He was the older brother I never had, so this question was more than it seemed.

How could I respond without it being blown out of proportion?

"Well," I stammered before I decided that I needed to be honest. "He's the man I love," I finished quietly.

Joshua had looked ready to throw out a snappy comeback, but he stopped short when he heard my tone of voice and realized that I was being completely serious. Most of the others looked shocked as well.

"Well, shit," he said, surprised. "When did this happen?"

I sighed. "I promise I'll tell you, Jo, just not right now, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed. "But you're not getting too long."

"You look happy, Isabella," Mr. Whitlock commented.

I smiled over at him. "I am," I said quietly. "I tried to make it work with James, I really did, but…."

"It just wasn't right," he finished. "We can all see that now."

All of a sudden, Edward came rushing back into the waiting room with a smile. "Bella, she's awake," he said.

It took my brain a minute to process what he was saying before I jumped up to follow him back down the hallway. He kissed my cheek and promised that he would be right outside waiting for me. I nodded and took a deep breath before opening the door.

Watching my two best friends interact – when they weren't about to jump each other's bones, anyway – was something I would never get used to. Jasper was so sweet in tending to his wife. Alice tried to get him to see that she was fine, but she didn't bother wasting her energy. She simply smiled and watched, offering comments every once in a while, as her husband tried to anticipate her needs.

It occurred to me that Edward tended to me the same way. He made sure to put my needs before his own. He wanted to help me whenever possible.

He was already acting like my husband.

My mind started wandering as I stood there, observing my friends. Would Edward change if we ever took our relationship to the "next level"? What if I wasn't good? Would it matter? He loved me even when I refused to admit I had feelings for him. He saved me even though he had no idea who I was because he felt drawn to me. That couldn't be just some trivial, fading feeling.

Did that mean that he had thought about marriage? Would we ever be like Ali and Jazz? Would we have a family? Would our children grow up together?

"Bella!" Alice squealed as loudly as she could.

"Hey," I said happily, snapping out of my reverie. I went over to the bed and gave her a gentle hug. "You scared the crap out of me, Ali."

"Well, normally ice cream trips aren't quite that exciting," she said, trying to laugh it off.

"You weren't eating for another person before," I noted, cocking an eyebrow at her. She shrank into her pillow guiltily and began muttering excuses for not telling me, sprinkled with apologies. "Ali, it's fine," I said with a chuckle. "You would've told me soon, anyway, so it's not a big deal. You're safe. The little one is safe. Everything is great."

She leaned her head on my shoulder and rested her hand on the slight bump of her stomach. "Yeah. It really is," she whispered.

"So, now you have to tell me everything," I laughed. "When did you find out? How far along are you? And when the hell were you planning on telling me?"

Alice patted an empty spot on the bed and I sat down with her. "I'm about fourteen weeks along. I hadn't been feeling good for a while, so I asked Jazz to take me to the doctor the night of your dinner with James. Turns out it was a baby, not a virus," she laughed. "And I was planning on telling you this weekend. I wanted to do a girl's day at the spa tomorrow before I asked you to be the godmother. Looks like that's not going to happen," she added in a mumble.

"Y-you want me to be the godmother?" I gasped.

Her eyes widened. "Shit, you weren't supposed to hear that. But yes, I do," she said sheepishly. "I just didn't want it to be some offhand comment that you responded to."

I threw my arms around her, remembering to be gentle. "Of course I will!"

I heard Jasper chuckle across the room. "Good thing, too. We didn't have anyone in line as a backup," he said.

With a half-hearted glare, I stuck my tongue out at him. I stayed in with them for a few more minutes until Alice started to yawn. She needed to rest, so I left her in the capable hands of her husband with a promise to come back later.

Edward was still waiting outside the door like he said he was. His eyes lit up as I came into the hallway.

"How is she?" he asked, taking my hand to walk back to the waiting room.

"She's okay," I said. "She'll be stir-crazy if she has to be in here for very long, but she'll pull through. She'll want to drag her baby's godmother shopping after all. It'll just give her an extra excuse."

He looked at me, a smile threatening to break out across his face. "They asked you to be the godmother?" I nodded vigorously and he hugged me tightly, swinging me around gently in the small, cramped hallway of the hospital. "That's wonderful, Bella. You'll be amazing."

"Thanks," I said. "I guess it just never occurred to me that they would ask me."

We reached the waiting room then. All the heads snapped in our direction when they realized we were there.

"She's resting now," I explained. "But she's okay, really."

When everyone was satisfied with my answers – they didn't want to disturb Alice's rest by going to check for themselves – Edward and I were finally able to sneak away.

"What are you thinking?" Edward's fingers slowly combed through my hair as we sat together in his bed.

We'd made ourselves a small breakfast before we collapsed into bed, but neither one of us could fall asleep. Edward had called Rose to let her know that he was staying with me for the day. It was nice to not need to worry about the world for a while.

But with that time, my mind circled back to Alice being in the hospital. It was a wakeup call for me. Edward had to deal with worse than this. I wanted nothing more than to go back in time and fix everything for him, but that was impossible. I just needed to help him now.

"Just thinking about the fact that my two best friends are having a kid," I lied. He noticed.

"It's not just that," he accused. "You're frowning." He sweetly kissed the creases in my forehead to prove his point.

I sighed and lay my head back on his shoulder. "I don't know how to help," I admitted. "You've gone through all this before and you're still not completely back to normal. I want to help you get back to the point – at least as close to that point as possible – that you were at before everything fell apart."

He didn't say anything right away, but I could tell he was processing when his fingers continued combing through my hair. He wasn't angry or anything because he would have tensed up and stopped moving.

After a minute, he placed a kiss on the top of my head and gently moved me so that I was no longer resting against him.

"I need to show you something," he explained. "I'll be right back."

He quickly sped off to his bedroom, coming back soon after with a simple picture frame in his hands. He passed it over to me and I gasped at it.

"What is this?" I asked quietly, outlining the figure with a gentle touch.

"This is what you mean to me."

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**AN: Before you kill me for putting another cliffie (for which I apologize), the clues are all there this time. If you remember a few chapters ago, you'll know exactly what it means. Please review and let me know what you think, though.**

**Next chapter: Edward expands on that last quote and Alice goes nuts staying in the hospital.**

**The next chapter will be a lot quicker, I promise. I have a lot of free time this week. :)**


	20. Alice Whitlock, Evil Overlord

**AN: It's been less than a month. It's even the same calendar month. Pretty good, huh? (Yeah, I know it's not really.) Anyway, last chapter was severely lacking in the review department, but I think that's partly my fault. I totally forgot to mention that I was still willing to do teasers, so no one took the bribe! Hopefully this chapter will will make up for that, and check the bottom AN for details. :)**

**Thanks again to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, and all the people who have read, reviewed, alerted, and favorited! I still don't own anything to do with Twilight. Also, I would like to thank lovesloser13 for recommending Unattainable Perfection in the second post of her new blog! (http:/ www . ficsations . blogspot . com/ - be sure to check it out!)**

**P.S. - There is a bit of citrusy flavor in the chapter...**

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**Chapter 18 – Alice Whitlock, Evil Overlord**

EPOV

Bella held the picture frame in her hands like it was an ancient artifact, like it would fall apart in her hands if she applied any more pressure. Her finger slowly outlined the weary angel I'd designed weeks ago.

"What is it?" she whispered.

I sat behind her and rested my chin on her shoulder. "This is what you mean to me," I answered. "I drew this."

Her head turned in my direction and I saw her confused expression. I smiled and gestured for her to look back at the picture.

"What is the first thing you see when you look at the picture?" I asked.

"She looks… broken. Like she's been through every bad situation known to man and just barely made it out alive," she said. "But her eyes…. Her expression changes the entire picture."

"Why, Bella?" I urged. I wanted her to see the connection. It would be better if she could see it in the drawing rather than have me explain it. Sometimes the words weren't enough.

She studied the picture again. The flower should have kept her attention, but she barely glanced at it. "It's relief," she finally decided. "She's focused on the flower, but without that expression, the flower wouldn't mean the same thing. If she wasn't so hopeful, she would look like she was about to give up. But with this… the flower is a good change. It means that she's wilting in relief instead of desperation."

I kissed the side of her neck to let her know she was on the right track. She leaned back into me as she continued looking at the design.

"Is there more to it than that?" she asked after a minute.

"There is one very important point you haven't hit yet," I noted with a smile.

"What does the rose mean? I don't think I've ever seen one like this."

"Pure love and desire," I whispered. My voice held a sense of wonder as I held the woman of my dreams in my arms while she analyzed something she inspired.

After the few seconds it took that to sink in, Bella suddenly shifted to the side and gaped at me. "Edward! Are trying to tell me that the flower… is me?" I nodded slowly, letting her process the information. "Then the angel… is you?"

When I nodded again, she looked back at the picture. This time, her gaze was less critical and more appreciative. She spent the most time looking at the angel's face. I saw the recognition slowly cross over her face.

She turned to me as a tear fell onto her cheek. "I never realized," she muttered. "I never thought I could have that much of an impact on someone's life."

"Bella, I don't know if I can ever get back to how I was before the accident," I admitted. "But I don't really want to anymore because I have you. For lack of a better term, you're my happy ending. I want to marry you someday. You, Bella. You are the reason I even want to keep trying."

"Edward," she whispered before pulling me closer. "I love you so much."

Her lips gently pressed against mine, her hands roaming my chest. I lay back on the couch and she surprised me by straddling my legs. Smiling, she put her hands on my shoulders as she leaned forward and kissed me again.

She rarely took control of our intimate moments, so I took the chance to revel in it. Her hands clutched at my shirt as she tried to gain a better angle. I stifled a groan when her hips moved even the slightest bit against mine. My hands snaked around her waist as I responded to her cues.

It all started out tender and gentle, but Bella quickly changed that. Her lips grew more insistent against mine. The movements became more heated, more urgent. Her whimpers spurred me on, pausing only to take a breath.

Eventually I realized that this would lead somewhere that she would regret, so I pulled back, leaving soft, lingering kisses on her jaw.

"I love you too, my sweet Bella," I whispered.

She smiled again and rested her head on my shoulder.

As much as I loved kissing her, I savored the quiet time I had with Bella. It was easiest to read exactly how she was feeling by how relaxed she was. I could tell she was happy by the way she was lazily drawing random designs on my chest with her index finger.

"When did you draw that?" she finally asked.

"A few weeks ago. I was waiting until the right time to show you," I answered honestly.

"Oh. Are you thinking about getting it done, or will it stay just a design?" She tilted her head up to look at me when I didn't answer right away. "I mean, it's too beautiful to stay just as a design."

I smiled and kissed her forehead. "I was hoping you'd say that. I told Rose I was thinking about getting a new one, but I haven't shown it to anyone but you yet."

"I think you should get it if you want to," she said. "Did you have anywhere specific you were thinking of?"

I nodded. "You know how I have the rings right here?" I tapped my chest over my heart. She nodded. "Well, those are for remembrance. This one is about hope and the future, so I was thinking of putting it in roughly the same area only on my left shoulder blade."

Bella leaned down and kissed my shirt where she knew the image of my parents' rings was etched into my chest. "That sounds like a great idea, Edward."

We spent a little more time talking before we decided it was time for a nap before we headed back to the hospital. I set an alarm for a few hours later so that we wouldn't waste the whole day. Bella snuggled into my arms contentedly and we both fell asleep quickly.

I woke to the feeling of Bella's fingers trailing down my chest. I smiled and enjoyed the sensation. She changed the pattern she was drawing so I knew she could tell that I was awake.

"Come on, sleepyhead," she cooed close to my ear. "I know you're awake."

"But I'm having this wonderful dream that my wonderfully beautiful girlfriend was lavishing me with attention," I whined jokingly. I sighed and slowly opened my eyes to see Bella in all her rumpled glory trying not to laugh as she propped herself up on one arm next to me. I smiled and reached up to cup her cheek. "Ah, it wasn't just a dream."

"Mmm, no it wasn't," she said, leaning down to kiss me. "But I had a wonderful dream myself. One that involved significantly less clothing." She was teasing me, tugging at the waistband of my boxers and letting her fingers trail under slightly.

I already had an erection forming, so she didn't need to do much at all to get me worked up. The tone of her voice and her teasing fingers were enough. She was already dead set on giving me some form of release – I could tell by the determination in her eyes – and I decided it would be stupid to give up an opportunity for giving her the same thing. My hand caressed her back, slowly inching my way down.

"That must have been some dream, baby," I said. "I know neither of us is quite ready to run home, but I'm sure we can find some way to have some fun playing the bases, right?"

"Edward," she whimpered, surprised as the tip of one of my fingers teased her center. Her hand flattened over my abs until she got her breathing in check again. Then a wicked smile graced her lips as she jerked her hand down to palm my erection. This confidence that sometimes presented itself in Bella was staggeringly hot. I couldn't get enough of it. "Third base has been pretty lonely lately," she said. "Maybe we can spend some time over there."

I crashed my lips to hers as my fingers slid around her slick folds. She whimpered into the kiss as I grazed her clit and I growled softly when her hand connected with the bare skin of my shaft.

"I can't think of any better destination than third base right now," I muttered between kisses.

The two of us tried to concentrate solely on the other's pleasure, but it was hard when we were working simultaneously. I let Bella lead and set the pace for the first few minutes, but the primal side of me won over soon enough and Bella was writhing under me within minutes.

"Does that feel good, baby?" I whispered. "I love seeing you like this. So free and uninhibited only for me. Let me see you come, love. I need to see just how wonderful I can make you feel."

"Edward!" I gasped as I felt her walls contract around my fingers.

"That's it, Bella. You're so beautiful, my love," I told her as I kissed her neck, sweetly helping her down from her high.

Her hand was still stroking my shaft, though more slowly than before. When she finally caught her breath, she pushed me onto my side and began stroking in full force again.

"That may be the most wonderful experience I have ever had," she sighed. "The real thing can run circles around that silly dream I had. But now, I do believe I owe you for that." Her thumb flicked over the tip as her wrist twisted, bringing a new sensation to her ministrations. It didn't take too much more before I was quietly chanting her name as well.

We lay on our sides, both breathing heavily as we recovered. I pushed a bit of the sweat soaked hair off her forehead and smiled.

"That was, hands down, the best wakeup call anyone has ever given me," I said.

"Well, you slept through the alarm and I couldn't find another way to wake you up, so I was just tracing patterns and I guess it eventually worked so-"

I pressed my lips to hers in an effort to silence her. The shy, insecure Bella I was used to seeing was back in full force. "Hey, it's ok," I said. "Really. I thought I made it pretty clear just how much I enjoyed that."

"Well, yeah, but…" she stammered.

"Baby, even if we hadn't just done that for each other, it still would have been an enjoyable way to wake up," I explained. "I don't care if I sound like a corny Hallmark card. I love falling asleep with you in my arms and waking up with you by my side. I wish we could do it every night, but it's just not a possibility right now. For now, I need you to know that you are the reason that I'm so happy. You're so beautiful no matter what you do and I love you so much, Bella."

Her face erupted into a smile and I thought I saw tears in her eyes, but I couldn't be sure. She started to wiggle away from me, but I held her tightly in place.

"What are you doing, silly girl?" I asked.

She smiled at me sweetly before pulling me out of bed with her. We got ready for the day side by side, gently teasing each other.

"I love you too, you know," she said as we were leaving to go back to the hospital.

I kissed her cheek before heading to the driver's side of the car. "I know, love."

We walked hand in hand through the hospital, both of us smiling. There was nothing horrible waiting for us in Alice's room, so neither of us had to be worried about what we would find. We were content to just walk together.

Of course, we were wrong about what we'd find.

"What do you mean I can't do it? Jasper!" Alice screeched as we neared the room.

"Baby, it's not good for you to be doing anything right now. For you or our child," he said gently, resting his hand on her stomach.

"Do you realize that if I can't do this, I'm going to gain like ten times the weight from the pregnancy?" she tried to rationalize. She noticed Bella and me standing at the doorway then. "Bella! Will you please tell them that I can't stop my daily yoga routine just because they want me on bed rest?"

Bella sighed while I tried to stifle my laughter. I shot a look at Jasper and saw that he was doing the same thing now that his wife had shifted her focus away from him.

"Ali, you have a weak ankle, a broken arm, and a needle in your arm," Bella explained calmly to her best friend. "There are so many things you won't be able to do in that condition. And you won't gain too much weight because of a few weeks on bed rest if you eat right and do everything the doctors tell you."

"Bella! I can't do anything now!" she whined. "I can't shop, I can't exercise, I can't have sex with my husband…. This sucks!"

Jasper tried to hide his blush by running his fingers through his hair, but I caught it. I didn't think he was actually embarrassed, but he probably didn't want his wife spouting off what they did in their spare time. He was the kind of guy – like me – that wanted his woman all to himself.

"Okay, just calm down and listen to me," Bella said forcefully. I watched, amazed, as she gently talked Alice back from her insanity. "You can't do any of this without fear of making everything worse. You could make the injuries worse. Fuck, Alice, you could lose the baby if you pushed too hard! You can't do that over some baby weight."

A few tears fell down Alice's cheeks as she processed all the information. "I just feel like I'm so helpless right now," she whispered. "I was never a useful member of society anyway, but I was good at helping out whenever I could. Now I can't do anything."

"Sweetheart, don't think like that," Jasper soothed. His thumb gently stroked her cheek as he talked to her as much to calm her down as to wipe the tears away. "You are a beautiful, charismatic woman who is carrying my child. Do you realize how important that is? If gaining a few pounds means I get to keep you and that child, then it's worth it. You'll still be the woman I love and you'll still be beautiful."

"Jazz…" she whispered. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

Bella came and put her arms around me as she watched her two best friends. I snaked my arms around her waist and pressed my lips against her hair.

"I have no idea how she doesn't see how great she is," she said, resting her head against my shoulder.

"You know, I could say the same thing about another girl I know," I teased her. "But, in all reality, it's probably all from the pregnancy hormones. I remember my mom saying that when she was pregnant with me she couldn't stay happy for more than a few minutes before she found something else to cry about."

"Then what about all that stuff about women saying that pregnancy is the best thing ever?" she asked, confused.

I laughed, "Bullshit. They just want to be pampered."

She giggled and shook her head.

Alice gasped and squealed. "Oh, that's a great idea! I can just shop online! Thanks, Jasper!" she said excitedly and kissed his cheek.

Bella groaned. "Please tell me you didn't remind her about the fact that she has all the measurements memorized, Jazz…"

The blond man cringed at his wife's excitement.

"Alice," I started, "I'm just curious, but is there a reason you need to do this much shopping? I mean, you have more than enough dresses to cover everything you would need to dress up for. Why do you keep shopping?"

Alice's jaw visibly dropped at my question. My goal was to just distract her, and apparently it worked. She launched into a rant about stimulating the economy, helping others, and the need for shoes.

When she noticed my semi-vacant expression, she turned to Bella. "He has no idea what I just said, does he?"

Bella chuckled. "Nope. None at all." She pushed me over to Jasper. "You boys entertain yourselves. I'm going to keep my best friend company."

Jasper and I sighed, taking the hint that we were dismissed. We sat at the table in the corner of the room – only Alice would pay for the biggest private room in the entire place.

"I've been demoted," Jasper said.

"Huh?"

"Your girlfriend has officially demoted me from her male best friend to her best friend's husband," he explained with a laugh. "I don't rate anymore."

"Better her best friend's husband than her ex-fiancé's little brother," I reminded him. "Speaking of which, how's everything with your family?"

Jasper shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "My parents are thrilled for you guys. My mom saw you here last night and thought you were, and I quote, 'just the cutest thing.' My father, on the other hand, would like me to inform you that you will be subjected to an interrogation after you've been formally introduced to everyone," he said.

I flinched at the memory of the guys at New Moon ready to pounce on me and Jasper laughed.

"I swear it's not that bad. Joshua wants to beat your head in for even looking at her, but he'll get over it. James… well, no one's really heard from him yet. He's apparently been staying at a friend's house and doing the bare minimum of hours at work. He's done this once before after spring break one year, so he'll probably show up at home soon."

I nodded and glanced over at the girls. Bella was perched on the edge of the hospital bed as she and Alice talked excitedly. I turned back to see Jasper looking a little concerned.

"How has she been?" he asked quietly.

"Happier than I've ever seen her," I said honestly. "Even when she's at home, she isn't calling me in tears anymore. She'll call just because she wants to talk to me before she goes to bed or because she wants to hear about my day. And she actually tells me about her days now. She's talking about going to school and getting a job." I shook my head and smiled at the strangeness of it all. "It's amazing, Jasper. She's still the Bella I fell in love with, but at the same time she's a completely different person."

"Wow," he breathed. "I remember her talking about going to college when we were younger. When her mom started in on the marriage track, it was like she dropped everything to follow her mom. I never realized she still wanted it."

"I don't think she wanted to admit it before now."

"Maybe not."

"Oh, no, Bella! You have to!" Alice whined.

"Ali, no. Really, we don't have to do anything of the sort," my beautifully flustered girl replied. "You know how I feel about that kind of stuff."

"Then we'll have to make it a combo party. You finally admitting that you love your soul mate and Jasper and me getting pregnant," the other woman persuaded. "It'll be perfect, Bella! We don't even have to have it at your place. My parents' house is perfect and I'll plan everything too."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Bella groaned.

I chuckled and decided to go comfort her. She relaxed when she felt my hands at her waist and leaned back into my chest. I leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Maybe this is a good idea, baby," I said softly. She turned her head upwards to glare at me. "Hear me out. Eventually, I'm going to meet these people anyway, right? And there will also inevitably be a congratulatory party for Alice and Jasper. If we combine them like this, it will take the focus off of us at least a bit and we can invite my aunt and uncle and Emmett and Rosalie. It won't be as bad as you think."

"That's what you say now, traitor," she grumbled.

I leaned a little further down to whisper in her ear. "You know, we could always sneak out early and have our own little party at my place," I said, pressing my lips against the spot right behind her ear that seemed to drive her crazy. "We can revisit that dream of yours again. Maybe a few others of mine…."

She tensed in my arms and I heard her breathing hitch. I smirked at the effect I had on her.

"Wow," Bella breathed. "I guess it's not so bad…."

"Holy shit. Edward, you're a frickin' genius," Alice gasped. "If you can just do that for everything I ask her… we would be unstoppable."

Bella sputtered and tried to think of an appropriate comeback, but I interrupted her.

"Sorry, Alice, but this was a one-time-only deal."

"Aw, you're no fun," she pouted. In that moment, she reminded me of a toddler. "At least tell me what you said to her. If you have a secret weapon, I need to know about it!"

"I think I'll keep that to myself," I said with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Well, before my wife drags someone else into her world domination plans," Jasper interjected, "someone needs to get her to take a nap sometime soon."

"Party pooper," Alice said, sticking her tongue out at her husband.

He quickly took advantage of the situation, pressing his mouth to hers and sucking her tongue into his mouth. It was clear that neither one of them remembered that they weren't alone.

"Well," Bella announced, "that would be my cue to leave."

They had the decency to look a little ashamed when they broke off from each other. I shook Jasper's hand and gave Alice a quick kiss on the cheek, wishing her a quick recovery, while Bella hugged her two best friends. It was much easier to leave the hospital that time knowing that Alice was already well on her way to being her old self.

Bella pulled me right to the couch when we got back to my apartment. She curled herself into my chest and I curled my arms around her.

"Not that I mind, but what brought this on, exactly?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I just realized in the hospital that I had everything in the world that I wanted with you and I just thought that it would be nice to spend that time together, just enjoying ourselves without needing to worry about anything," she said.

I smiled and kissed her tenderly. "That sounds like a great idea."

"So, when were you thinking of getting that tattoo?" she asked.

"Not really, why?"

"I was just thinking, it might be best to wait until after the party. That way there will be more of a chance for it to heal and whatnot."

I thought about it for a second and realized that she was right. It would be better if I wasn't recovering from a new design. Judging from what she'd told me in the past, the men at those parties were the sort to show affection – however fake – in the form of a slap to the back. Right where I was planning on getting the tattoo.

"That sounds like a good plan," I agreed, shuddering slightly at the thought of that pain. It had happened in the past, and I didn't need to relive that.

"And I suppose that means I should invite you to a family dinner sometime soon," she mused aloud.

"Just your parents and us?" I questioned.

She hesitated. "Well, my mom's parents are coming into town soon, so I suppose we should do it then. It would be easier than having it before they come and making you come again or having my grandmother lecture me about not meeting you if we wait until after."

"Well, in that case, I'll brave the one meeting," I laughed. "After all, I've got your dad on my side. That should help, right?"

"That, the fact that you're gainfully employed, and that you can converse intelligently, yes," she agreed. "My grandfather believes that if a man can speak well, it doesn't matter if he doesn't understand what's being discussed. It means he can learn."

"Well, then hopefully I can handle that."

She sighed and pressed a kiss to the side of my neck. "You know, they'll probably think that we're doing this for the same reason as Ali and Jazz. Or that you're in it for the money," she said quietly.

I tilted her face up so that I could look into her eyes. "You and I both know that's not true. So, we'll deal with that as it comes. Okay?"

She smiled weakly and nodded. "And you know I'd run off into the sunset with you if I could, but we're in this for the long haul now. We may as well start selling tickets and popcorn for what's about to go down."

"Emmett's going to want to see this out," I noted. "You better add beer to that list."

I brought Bella home the next morning after we both got a good night's sleep. This time, I actually pulled up in front of the building and she allowed me one, tender, lingering kiss before she pulled away.

I walked into Twilight a little later to see a large group crowded in the waiting area. Pete was manning the piercing station and Rose was working at the most open ink station. Drew was taking information at the front desk.

"Wow," I breathed.

This was the most we'd ever had waiting at one time. Either someone had brought an entire entourage with them, or we were finally gaining popularity around town.

Drew saw me first and looked relieved. I needed to give that kid a break soon. Pete nodded, but continued with his customer. Rose waved from her spot when she gave her hand a break.

"We did not have this many appointments on record," I pointed out to Drew as I set up the second ink station.

"Most walk-ins we've ever had at once," he replied. "You've got your work cut out for you today."

"Shit," I said, stunned. "Well, this could work well in the long run. I mean, we've been trying to get more of a crowd. This could be good."

I looked around the waiting room to see all the people chatting within their groups or admiring the photos of past works. This was real. We were finally starting to make a name for ourselves,

"Dude," Drew said, "that manic grin is freakin' me out. Dial it down."

I chuckled. "Sorry, man." I clapped him on the back and went to set up my station. "I'll stay out of your way."

Rose and I efficiently worked our way through the customers we had waiting. I asked a few of them where they'd heard about us and was stunned by the results. Some said they'd seen posters around town and one even said they heard someone mention it on the local radio station. It shocked me to realize that we were able to get that much press without even knowing.

I got curious and decided to check the figures for the past month at the end of the day. The numbers were astounding.

"Rose? Can you come check my math?" I asked, not wanting to believe it.

"What? Mr. Big Shot hasn't learned how to use a calculator yet?" she teased. I shook my head and pointed to the number at the bottom of the page. "Whoa, there. You're not that good…."

She spent the next ten minutes redoing the math that I'd done. When she came out with the same answer three more times, she sat back in her chair and let out a low whistle.

"That girl of yours better get her ass through school," Rose said, still staring at the figures. "We're going to need some backup here."

"Yeah, I know."

For once, I wasn't depressed to walk into my apartment alone. Everything was welcoming and I knew the pictures on the wall were all the company I needed for now. I had a support group in the form of my family and business partners. My parents had to be watching from somewhere, and, even though I never finished school, I knew they would still be proud of me.

But there was only one person I needed.

I settled on the couch with a tube of Pringles – my reward to myself – and quickly dialed Bella's number.

"Hey, what's up?" she said cheerily.

"Hey, baby," I answered happily. "So, you know how I was hoping to eventually expand the shop? Maybe get a bigger, better space and shit?"

"Yeah, of course. That's what you and Rose have been planning for, right?" she asked, obviously confused as to where I was going with the conversation.

"Well, I think that might happen a little sooner than we thought," I replied, hardly containing my glee.

"Edward, what are you saying?" The pitch of her voice had gone up. She was starting to catch on, but she wanted to let me tell her.

"We finally have the money, Bella," I said. "We had the biggest income we've ever seen over the last few weeks. Twilight is becoming the most popular tattoo shop in the city. At the rate we're going, we'll _need_ to expand."

"That's wonderful! Oh, Edward, I'm so proud of you."

We stayed on the phone until the entire tube of Pringles was empty. Bella let me know more about Alice and what we could expect from the impending party. I mentioned that my aunt and uncle wanted us to have another family dinner and the Bella's presence was fervently requested.

Talking to her like that, with everything going well for us, made me realize that I needed the sort of emotional stability that she provided in my life. The ups and downs of everyday drama would come no matter what, but I would no longer live in the dark place I'd been steadily crawling out of.

I wanted a life with Bella. I wanted her by my side as I made my place in the world. I wanted to make her forget that there was ever a time in her life where she was in danger of ending up in a bad marriage.

I needed to make my move.

I wanted to propose to her and give her the life she dreamed of.

I just needed to wait for the opportune moment.

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**AN: Good? Bad? Want to yell at me for not giving a teaser last time? Tell me in a review! Double digits in reviews will get a teaser and beating the record (still set at 15 for one chapter) will get a second, _better_ teaser. Also, I've already started the next chapter, so it shouldn't be too much of a wait this time. :)**

**Next chapter: Bella starts thinking more about the future and introduces Edward to the rest of her family. (Hopefully it won't be as boring as that tiny summary made it sound.)**

**In your reviews, please let me know if the profile teasers are working. If not, please, please, _please_ suggest something that might work better! Thanks again!**

**-Kaylee**


	21. Enter the Cougar

**AN: Can I just say thank you to everyone who's stuck around and tolerated my erratic posting schedule? You guys are the best. I am going to try to be more regular with the updates, most likely every two or three weeks. And once again, thanks to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, for putting up with my stupid mistakes and fixing them.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything related to Twilight. I never will.**

* * *

**Chapter 19 – Enter the Cougar**

BPOV

"Aw, come on!" Emmett yelled at the TV.

I laughed as I leaned against Edward.

We had invited Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice over to watch the latest Red Sox game. The girls, not completely interested in the game, decided it was a good day to give each other manicures and pedicures. They tried to rope me into it as well, but I reminded them that my mother had just dragged me to a salon a couple days before.

"Damn umpires can't see straight," Jasper grumbled.

Edward rolled his eyes, complaining about the umpire's bad call before he turned to me. He kissed the side of my head and looked at what I was doing.

I had his laptop out and was looking at colleges in the area. It was too late to apply for the fall semester, but there was more than enough time to get into the spring semester. It was slow going, considering how close to dying the computer was, but I was making some progress.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Well, a few of them look promising," I said. "Nothing is what I was really picturing originally, though."

"Nothing ever is," he chuckled. "So, you're still sure about business?"

I nodded. "Even if I won't ever run a business personally, just knowing that I could help would be enough for me, I think. I hate feeling helpless and not able to do anything."

"Well, you know you're always welcome to help out in the shop," he said. "If you want to use your education to help us out, we'd be more than grateful. You shouldn't have to go on an endless hunt for jobs if you don't have to. If you would rather work somewhere else though, I wouldn't hold it against you."

He wanted me to work with them at the shop?

That surprised me. Even though I'd helped out that one day, Twilight was still his space. That shop had been his entire life for the past five years. By wanting to share that, he really was showing me that he wanted me in every aspect of his life.

"Really? But that's your space," I said, not wanting to say yes and have him regret his offer.

"Bella, even if you weren't the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, you're a hard worker," he explained. "In the one day you were there, you learned what usually takes weeks to get the hang of."

"Well, you were helping me the entire-"

"Not really. I guided you if you hesitated, but you did most of it on your own," he insisted. "I just found it hard to leave your side that day," he added with an embarrassed chuckle.

"I'd love to work with you guys," I agreed finally.

He smiled brilliantly and slid his arm around my waist. "I'm glad to hear that, baby," he said quietly.

"What are you two lovebirds talking about?" Rose asked from the couch.

"The future," I answered nonchalantly.

"Is Eddie-boy finally growing some balls and thinking about proposing?" Emmett asked excitedly.

I blushed and refrained from responding. Edward launched into an explanation of what we were actually discussing, but I notice that he didn't deny Emmett's question.

Did that mean he wanted to ask me to marry him? Even thinking about it was staggering, but the more I mulled it over, it made total sense.

Edward had been committed to me long before I was ever truly invested in the relationship. He was there for me when I couldn't tell anyone else about the issues I was having. He taught me to defend myself. He changed for me and always supported me, no matter what.

Despite everything, was I really ready to be engaged again? Especially considering how horrendous the last one was?

My mind jumped past the engagement. Even if that transitional period was terrible, marrying Edward meant so much more. We could live together with no issues. He would be a doting, loving husband unlike James.

_We could start a family_, I mused.

I felt a smile creep across my face as I thought of watching Edward play with our kids one day. It was a breathtaking image that sent shockwaves of happiness through my body.

"She looks like she's been hypnotized or something," I heard through the haze.

"Nah, she's way too happy. She's grinnin' like a fool," said a second voice, louder this time.

"Do you think she's okay?" a quieter, sweeter voice broke through.

"She's just thinking. She's fine." This last voice broke through my thoughts. Edward knew me better than even my best friends.

I took a deep breath and tried to act like I hadn't been zoning out, but that failed.

"Oh look, she's alive!" Emmett boomed.

I blushed and tried to bury myself back in my research.

"That red face means someone was having one hell of a daydream," Rose commented. "Any juicy details you care to share? And by that, I mean, you damn well better share."

"I… well, I mean…. It's not that out of the ordinary," I stammered.

Edward chuckled and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Now you've got me very intrigued. I suppose I'll get it out of you eventually."

"Aw, Bella, you can't leave us hanging," Alice pouted.

Edward laughed softly again. "Just leave her alone, guys," he said. "She's embarrassed enough."

"Well, fine," Alice said, pouting. "So, what are you guys up to this week?"

"I do believe I'm subjecting my wonderful boyfriend to a family dinner at the Swan house tomorrow night," I said.

"She keeps telling me to run while I can, but I think she's just overreacting," he commented.

"No, dude. Seriously. Run now," Jasper said.

"Jasper!" I yelled.

"Hey, I'm just warning him. Your grandmother is a fucking cougar," he told me, holding his hands up in surrender. Alice giggled, remembering the scene from our teen years.

"What the hell?" Emmett asked, confused.

"Yes, please explain," Rose said, intrigued.

"Okay, well," Alice started excitedly, "we were just getting back from swimming one day and Jasper had gotten a cut on the inside of his thigh somehow-"

"I believe that was your fault, dear," Jasper interrupted. "You failed to mention that your ring had broken and you'd gotten it caught on something before you decided to stick your hand down my pants. That thing was sharp!"

I groaned. I had figured that was what they were doing, but I didn't need the confirmation. Even years later, I didn't need to hear that they were being intimate when I was barely ten feet away from them.

"Anyway," Alice said, "he was cleaning it out in the bathroom when we got back, but he left the door unlocked. Bella's grandma sauntered in without knocking, and Jasper froze, his pants around his ankles. The woman, with no shame, just said, 'If only I were fifty years younger….' Then she winked and left him to finish up."

Jasper groaned. "I didn't even have a shirt on."

Alice giggled and leaned into her husband. "Not to mention he was still pretty wet."

Edward sat, stunned, as he processed that information. "Okay. Note to self, remain fully clothed and be sure to lock the bathroom door," he finally said.

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, guys, she's not that bad."

Alice cocked her eyebrow at me. "Tell us Bella, what did she do for your birthday when you hit puberty?"

"Okay, that doesn't count," I protested quickly, hoping she would drop it there.

"Oh, I think we need to hear this story," Edward laughed.

My best friend smiled sweetly at me. "Would you like to tell them, or should I?"

I glared at her before studiously focusing on my hands. "Well, she got her hands on some Playboys and the female equivalents and proceeded to go through to point out the choices I should and should not make in my own life. For instance, I should make sure that I get someone who can, and I quote, 'make you come with no more than a glace.' The woman was in her _seventies_ when she said this."

Alice burst out laughing, trying to muffle the sounds in her husband's shirt, but he was laughing just as hard. I lifted my head slightly to peek at the scene before me. Emmett was sputtering. Rose somehow managed to look impressed and disgusted simultaneously. I wondered how Edward reacted to the information, but I didn't dare turn around to see.

He solved that problem for me.

"Well," he whispered in my ear, "we all know James never managed that for you. But what about now? Did you find a man who can do that to you?"

His voice was low and huskier than I'd ever heard it. His hands gently massaged my hips as he spoke and those combined sensations sent heat straight to my core. I tensed a little and my breathing sped up.

We hadn't talked about sex yet, but we hadn't exactly shied away from the idea. We always seemed to stop ourselves before it got to that point, but lately we both seemed to have a pull for more. I knew Edward wanted to wait until I was more comfortable with the idea, but he didn't know that I was inching toward being ready. With all the pushing of the limits we'd been doing lately, I was almost there. Things like this made me realize that we needed to talk soon.

"Hmm, well, you may not explode from one glance, but I know for a fact that my fingers can do the trick," he continued, inching his digits closer to the area I wanted them.

"What the hell is he saying to you?" Rose gasped. "You look like you're about to faint…"

"It's always the quiet ones," Alice pointed out. "They're going to turn out to be the kinkiest of all of us. Just you wait."

I huddled further into Edward's arms, trying to forget that our friends were in front of us. Edward chuckled behind me and his hands finally stilled against the top of my thighs. My hands were shaking as they rested over his keyboard. This couldn't get any more embarrassing.

"You know, they may already be at that point," Emmett mused. "I mean just look at them. Eddie's hand is basically in her crotch right now."

"You're right, Emmett," Jasper chimed in. "They do seem to be showing signs of exhibitionism. I mean, I wasn't the only one there when they made out in the Jasmine Dragon, after all."

"You guys, I believe my girlfriend would very much appreciate it if you stopped speculating about her sexual prowess," Edward said, kissing the side of my neck.

I turned to glare at him. "Sexual prowess?" I hissed. "Really?"

He kissed me, quick and hard, before smirking down at me. "A guy's got a right to brag about his sexy, beautiful girlfriend. Don't deny me this, baby."

"Well, I do believe they are stuck in the honeymoon stage and they're not even engaged," my best friend said with a laugh.

"I think it might actually be safe to say that they haven't rounded home yet," Rose countered, squinting between me and Edward. "Our boy is way too wired and still kind of nervous."

"True. Not to mention Bella would be all over him if they actually had done it before," Alice agreed.

"Seriously, guys. If you must know, I'm still a virgin. Stop your antics and watch the game," I spat before looking back at the computer screen. I felt Edward smirk, his face still resting against my shoulder. The others didn't say anything.

Eventually, after a staggering loss by the Red Sox, our friends left for their own places and gave Edward and me some much needed privacy.

"Well, that afternoon could have gone better," I grumbled as I put his laptop away.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad," he countered. "I learned a lot more about your family. Every family has their little quirks, so it's good to know ahead of time."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Right, because an eighty year old woman studying porn while married to a straight-laced soldier from the War is definitely just a quirk," I said.

He chuckled and kissed the side of my head. "I'm sure she's not that bad."

I had a feeling he would regret those words the next day.

We did not spend the night together as had become our habit most of the time. My grandparents were due early the next morning, so my parents expected me home. Edward planned on putting in part of a day's work at Twilight. He felt bad that he'd been leaving Rose and the boys shorthanded lately. He would join us around six for dinner.

Morning came around more quickly than I would have liked. Between worrying how my mother would react and wondering what in the world my grandmother would come up with to embarrass me, I had a lot of trouble sleeping.

After I woke up, I threw on a pair of nice black pants and a green blouse that reminded me of Edward's eyes. It was midway between what I preferred wearing and what my mother wanted me to wear. That was the closest I would get to giving into her wishes.

"Oh, Isabella, I was afraid you were never going to wake up," my mother said, instantly laying into me when I walked down the stairs.

Whenever her parents decided to visit, she felt the need to run our household like the Von Trapp family pre-Maria. I swear, if she had a whistle, I would have my own call to respond to. She was a maniac.

"You'd think it was her evil mother-in-law coming, rather than her own flesh and blood," Dad whispered as he walked by.

He smiled at me as I tried to stifle a giggle.

"Don't just stand there! Go make sure everything is in its place," she ordered, shooing me out of the room.

I walked around the house, checking everything, to appease my mother. Every last detail was absolutely perfect, as usual. Deciding to freak her out a little, I hid in my room to read a few pages of a book. Just as I was getting ready to go back downstairs, my dad knocked on my door.

"Your grandparents are going to be here soon," he said.

"Yeah, I know. Mom told me to look around to make sure everything was in its place. I decided to make her sweat it out before I reported back to her," I replied. "She should already know it's fine."

"You know, maybe she would be more likely to cut you some slack if you didn't go out of your way to antagonize her," he pointed out.

"But, Daddy, it's so much fun!" I whined, all the while smirking at my father.

Mother was pacing around the foyer when I finally descended the stairs again. Her outfit was immaculate, the house was spotless, and she was still on edge. It was weird to see her so ill at ease.

Thankfully it didn't take long for a knock to resonate through the foyer. I sighed with relief, but I saw my mother tense even further; I didn't even think it was possible.

"Oh my, Renee, the house looks exactly the same as the last time we visited," my grandmother proclaimed as she entered. "You do such a splendid job of keeping it clean."

"Why, thank you, Mum," she said cheerily. They engaged in a stuffy air kiss while my grandfather proceeded to acknowledge my father.

"Well, Charles, everything looks to be in perfect order," he said in his usual even tone.

My father nodded. "Much the same as it always is, Ronald. Everything has been good, despite the rest of the economy."

"Good, good. Ah, is that my precious granddaughter?" He spared me a rare smile and opened his arms to me.

I skipped to him and wrapped my arms around his torso. "Hey, Grampy."

"You never will be too old to call me that, will you?" he chuckled.

"Of course not," I answered with a smile.

"Ah, Isabella," my grandmother said, finally moving away from her daughter. "Let me see you, child." I stepped out of my grandfather's arms as she took my hands and held them out to my sides to inspect me. "You look thinner. But happier." She paused, tilting her head a little as she further inspected me. "You look like you've recently been ridden long and hard."

I blushed and lowered my face. "No, Gran. That hasn't happened."

My mother muttered something that sounded remarkably close to, "Not with that mongrel."

"Now, Eleanor, you know the girl is good for her upbringing," Gramps insisted. "There is no need to talk like that."

_Ah, well, about that, Gramps…. You see, I've been experimenting sexually with my fuckhot boyfriend for a while now and he's basically done everything but ride me long and hard. She's not that far off the mark._

That wouldn't go over well.

"Now, Renee, you mentioned there would be a sixth person joining us for dinner this evening. Do we get any idea as to whom beforehand?" Gran asked later on as I sat with her and my mother in the parlor. My father and grandfather were both standing near the window discussing work.

"Ah, yes, I'd been wondering that myself, actually," Gramps added to the question.

"That would be Bella's boyfriend," Dad said when he noticed my mother's pained expression. She still didn't want to acknowledge Edward's existence, let alone invite him in for dinner.

"Boyfriend? I thought James was her fiancé now," Gramps commented. "Delightful chap."

I cleared my throat and toyed with the tab on my soda can. "Actually, Grampy, James and I are no longer together," I announced.

"Oh, dear. Why not?" Gran asked.

"He wasn't who I thought he was and I wasn't happy," I explained, much to my mother's dismay.

It was clear she still wished I hadn't gone through with the separation. She had wanted that marriage more than anything. I still didn't understand why she was so against my happiness, but I needed to live my own life. Being with Edward was good for me, and she needed to see that.

"Well, child, I just hope this new boy is good to you," Gran said. "If he's the one keeping you happy, then he must be a good man."

"No one is good enough for our girl," Gramps grumbled. Then he cleared his throat. "Is he joining us before dinner at all?"

"No, actually, he can't make it before then. He can't afford to be away from work for too long," I told them.

"He runs his own business a little ways downtown," Dad threw in. I needed to remember to thank him for backing me up.

"Well, at least he has an income. That's something." Gramps seemed satisfied for the time being, at least.

"Oh, posh. Ronald doesn't know the good questions to ask," Gran insisted. "Tell me, what does he look like? If he has an ugly mug, there's no use keeping him. It means he won't be any good at pleasing you. Don't look at me like that, Renee. I told you the same thing about Charles and here you are, still together."

My father was a good looking guy for his age, but I did not want to be having this conversation.

"Why don't we wait a few more hours and you can judge for yourself, Gran," I said.

We spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the lives of my grandparents' friends and all the screwed up crap that happens with old people. It was amazing how much of it revolved around sex and money.

After a while, my mother successfully managed to divert the conversation to a more appropriate topic. We talked about the remodeling my mother was thinking of having done to the house and all the things she'd seen other people do.

Finally, I got a text from Edward about fifteen minutes after I expected him to be home. I excused myself and ran up to my room to read it.

_Out of work. What do I need to wear to this thing? Love you. –E_

I decided that calling him would be easier than discussing clothing through texts. After ten minutes, he found a grey dress shirt in the back of his closet that he hadn't worn for ages that would go perfectly with his black dress pants. I ordered him to forgo a tie and leave the first few buttons open even if it looked a little less professional. After all, he was meeting my family, not going to a business meeting. Plus, I liked looking at his chest.

He promised he would only be another fifteen minutes or so and that he would see me soon.

I went back downstairs, both comforted by knowing he'd only be a few more minutes and scared that I would be throwing him to the wolves before he even knew how to defend himself.

"He should be here in a bit," I announced as I went back into the parlor.

"Oh good, dinner should be ready in a little while," my mother said. "The cook just informed me that it has about a half hour left to go."

I nodded and sat impatiently with my family until the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," I said eagerly, rushing to the door before anyone could stop me. "Hey," I said, relaxing as I saw Edward standing on the other side of the door.

"Hey, yourself," he said with a smirk. He leaned in and kissed me sweetly. "I missed you today."

"I missed you too. I've been stuck with them all day," I groaned. "I love them to death, but I can only take so much of Gran's gossip about Ellie-May and Doris cheating on their husbands with each other." I shuddered.

"Aw, baby," he said, flinching. "That sounds torturous. I'm glad to provide them with a distraction for you."

I smiled up at him and kissed him back. "Good. You'll be the perfect distraction for everyone. Come in."

I led him to the parlor after he hung up his coat in the foyer. Right outside the door, I stopped and turned to him.

"What's wrong, Bella?" he asked quietly.

I sighed. "Whatever happens, remember that I love you and I'm sorry." I kissed him again quickly before taking his hand and leading him into the room. I cleared my throat quietly and all four heads spun to look in our direction.

Dad, bless his heart, reacted first. "Edward, good to see you again," he said, coming to shake Edward's free hand.

"Charlie. It's good to see you too, sir," my boyfriend said with a small smile.

"Everyone, this is Edward Masen," I said, looking at the other faces in the room. "Edward, this is my mother, Renee Swan, and my grandparents, Ronald and Eleanor Cobb."

"Oh, goodness me, child," Gran gasped. "The boy is positively gorgeous. It's a sin that you haven't let him give you a good ride yet."

I groaned and I thought I heard Edward choking next to me. My father clapped him on the back gently and whispered, "That's not the worst of it yet. Just wait until she gets some wine in her."

Well, at least one of them approved. My mother and grandfather would be much harder to crack. Mother stayed seated where she was, for once choosing not to be a gracious hostess, which showed just how much she disapproved of him already.

Gramps walked over to us, looking Edward up and down as he went. I'd watched men appraise each other before, but I never understood what they were looking for. With women, it was much easier. By posture, outfit, and a single look in a woman's eye, their motivations are clear to any other woman in close range. It seemed more in depth with men, like one shift in weight could be the difference between acceptance for life or revulsion.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Bella's told me so much about you," Edward finally said, trying to break the ice.

"She's been very quiet about the likes of you, however," Gramps countered. I glared at him and he pointedly ignored me.

He'd never done this with James or any of the other countless hopefuls. Edward was being targeted simply because he wasn't in the right group. I needed to prove to my family that he shouldn't be judged just for that. He was a good man.

"Grampy," I hissed. "Please."

Edward put his hand on the small of my back to try to calm me down as he faced the men in my family. "That's partly my fault, sir. I felt it wouldn't be right to be in a relationship when she was still engaged to James and she agreed," he explained.

"So this started before she broke things off, hmm?"

"Well, not exactly," Edward said.

"I've known Edward for over three years, Grampy, but I never cheated on James," I assured him. _Unless you count that make out session at the Jasmine Dragon. Or that point when I just couldn't deal with everything anymore…. But they don't have to know about that._

"Right," Gramps said skeptically.

"Ah, it seems that it's time for dinner," my mother said. She looked more cheerful now that someone else shared her disapproval of Edward.

I held Edward back as my family passed into the other room. His expression was slightly confused.

"I'm sorry," I said. "They're not usually like this at all."

"Bella, it's fine. I don't care if they don't like me," he said. He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead before continuing. "I know you love me and I love you. It would be better if they accepted us, but if not… they can go to hell."

I smiled up at him wearily. "I love you."

"I know, baby. I know."

We walked into the dining room hand in hand only to see that my family had left the final two seats open across from each other rather than side by side. I squeezed his hand once before I let go and sat on the far side of the table next to Gran. Hopefully not having to look my mother in the eye would help a little.

"Now, Edward, what do your parents do for a living?" Gramps asked as we tucked into our salads.

Edward cleared his throat before looking to my grandfather. "Well, actually, they died about five years ago."

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry," Gran commiserated. "How did it happen?"

"Drunk driver," he answered solemnly. "I was in the back of the car, but somehow I only sustained minor injuries."

Gramps looked appropriately shocked by the news, but he tried to cover it up. He cleared his throat and focused on his meal as he continued the interrogation. "Charles mentioned you run your own business in town. I knew most of the small businesses around the area before we moved. Would I recognize yours?"

"Um, no, sir, I doubt it," Edward replied. He was clearly trying to cover his laughter with the next course.

"He owns a tattoo parlor, Grampy," I said, saving my man the difficulty. "It's getting really popular. Enough that they need to expand."

"Bella," Edward whispered. "You don't need to…"

I smiled over at him. "It's a good thing, Edward."

"A tattoo parlor, hmm?" Gramps mused quietly. "Well, that used to be quite the lucrative business back in the day. Has it suffered much with the economy?"

Edward jumped on the opportunity to talk about the shop. He loved his job and wasn't ashamed of it, but he couldn't wrap his mind around the possibility of it being a popular establishment.

"He sure is something to look at," Gran whispered.

I looked over to see her smirking at me. "Yes, he is," I agreed. "And a gentleman to boot."

"Oh, good lord," my mother scoffed quietly across the table.

I turned to her, silently asking what her problem was. The men were still discussing business related things and hadn't realized the showdown happening down the table.

"He's a bum, Isabella," she hissed. "A dirty, rotten miscreant. He's only with you for the money and you're too horny to see clearly!"

My jaw dropped and I sputtered, trying to find an appropriate retort, but failing. Tears welled up in my eyes at the accusation. She didn't know him. She didn't understand our connection, his loyalty, my need to be close to him.

My gaze shifted to Edward, still oblivious to my mother's insult. He actually looked comfortable discussing his career with my father and grandfather. Even with the reservations he had about meeting them, he did it for me. It didn't matter what anyone else thought of him. He loved me and was willing to wait for me.

"You know what, Mother? I don't care what you think. You're wrong," I answered in a cold, menacingly calm voice. "He loves me. Not because of the money signs tattooed across my forehead. And if you can't see that, fine. I give up trying to prove it to you."

I pushed my chair back from the table with a small request to be excused. Gran smiled weakly at me and didn't fight when I left the room. As soon as I was out of the room, I practically sprinted to my bedroom.

The tears finally fell as I clutched a pillow to my chest. I sobbed as I realized that my mother would never be happy with any of the choices I made for myself. After all the years of trying to rationalize her point of view and compromise with her, I needed to accept that we would never have the kind of connection I longed for with her.

A soft knock on my bedroom door brought me back to reality. I looked up, not worrying about my appearance, figuring it was Edward.

"Well, that answers one question," Gramps sighed as he walked into the room. He sat next to me on the bed and wiped the tears off my cheeks. "What happened down there?"

The tears welled up again and I shook my head, unable to voice my nightmare come true.

"Your mother never was one for following her heart," he said. His big, callused hand rubbed soothing circles into my back as he let me continue venting my sorrow into the pillow. "She would have made a splendid politician if she'd been a boy, but she found her place in the traditional housewife. She had a clear view of exactly what her life would be like and what she wanted to happen for her daughter." He tilted my chin up so he could look in my eyes. "She never asked to have a caring, open-minded daughter who just wanted everyone to be happy."

"Grampy, I-"

"Shh, girlie," he soothed. "He's a wonderful young man, despite the tattoos." We both chuckled at that, though mine sounded closer to a hiccup. "It's clear that he loves you and would do anything to make you the happiest woman alive. I'd wager he's wearing a hole in that carpet downstairs right this second. I had to fight him to let me up here first."

"He worries about me," I explained unnecessarily.

Gramps nodded with a small smile. "That he does. But he's also making you happy and that's the most anyone can wish for you. I don't care about the choices he made after that wretched car accident. He's a good man now."

I tossed the pillow out of the way and threw my arms around his neck. "Thank you, Grampy," I whispered. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, girlie. Now, it seems like that good man of yours has grown impatient," he chuckled. I looked to see Edward standing nervously in the doorway. Gramps chuckled and quietly said, "You kids be safe now, you hear?"

I rolled my eyes at him, but managed a small smile. Edward relaxed at that, knowing that I would be okay eventually.

"Well, I've got another woman to talk to for a whole different reason, so if you kids will excuse me," Gramps said as he left the room. He clapped Edward on the shoulder as he passed.

Edward slowly crossed the room and kneeled in front of me. "Are you okay, love?"

I nodded and cupped his cheek with my hand. "I'll be fine. I just need to accept that I'll never have a good relationship with my mother," I said. I sighed and focused on my fingers running through his hair. "She called you a bum and said you were only with me for the money. I know it's not true, but the nerve…. She didn't even _try_ to get to know you!"

"Bella, it doesn't matter," he said, caressing my face. "She doesn't understand, and she never will. But your father and your grandfather seem fine with it, and your grandmother looks like she wants to steal me for herself. There was bound to be one person who didn't approve, and I'm not surprised to learn that it's your mother."

A few more tears fell from my eyes and I dropped my gaze to the floor. "All I ever wanted to do was make my parents proud by living the life they wanted for me. Now, when I finally do something for myself, she wants to ruin it!"

Edward climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around me. "Baby, you need to do what you think is right," he said. "Don't worry about your mother. She may never understand what we have, and I've accepted that."

"I know," I said, leaning my head back on his shoulder. "It's just hard for me to wrap my head around. She's my _mother_. She's supposed to support me no matter what I choose."

He kissed my temple. "I know. But not everything works out that way."

I nodded and took a minute to get my breathing under control again. When I knew I wasn't about to start crying again, I looked up at the man who loved me and smiled. "Thank you, Edward."

"For what?" he asked, his eyes reflecting the calm I now felt.

"Being here for me. I know it sounds cliché and cheesy, but I don't think I could have made it this far without you," I told him. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby. Now, let's get back to your family before they think I'm doing evil things to you up here."

We walked back into the parlor together, Edward's arm nestled around my waist. Gramps saw me first and gave me a warm smile before nodding his approval to Edward. Dad looked me over and nodded when he was sure I was okay. Mother's back was to us, which was fortunate. I didn't think I could handle her judgmental glare. Gran, on the other hand, decided to voice her opinion.

"Judging by the look on that girl's face, you may have an adorable brunette, green-eyed little tyke running around this time next year," she said. "And that boy will be the best looking father around."

I groaned and buried my face in Edward's shoulder. "Kill me now. Just kill me."

He chuckled and kissed my forehead sweetly. "You can't get away that easily," he teased softly. "If I have to listen to them discuss my status as the best looking father in the area, so do you. And you would be the most beautiful mother if it were true."

"Well, thankfully, we don't have to worry about that just yet," I replied.

Gran was frowning when I finally looked up to meet her gaze. "Oh, don't tell me he isn't good in bed," she said.

"Mother!" Mom gasped.

"Renee, don't be such a prude."

"Oh my freakin' god, can we please stop speculating about my nonexistent sex life," I burst.

Everyone in the room froze for a second before they broke out in laughter. Even my mother was failing to contain her giggles. Edward was managing to hold it in, but I could feel his chest shaking with the effort.

"Did I just say that? In front of my family?" I gasped.

He finally let out a low chuckle. "Yes, love, you did. I do think your father and grandfather like me a little more now that they know I'm not ravaging their little girl though."

I sighed. "Great. Now Gran's going to be even worse than normal."

"Isabella, are you really telling me that you have a perfectly functioning, virile, _willing_ man and you aren't taking advantage of that?" Gran asked, finally getting over her shock.

"Oh, good god," I muttered as Edward finally burst out laughing.

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**AN: You know, I think Gran may be my new favorite character. Let me know what you thought in a review! Like before, 10 reviews gets a teaser, 15 or more gets a _better_ teaser.**

**Next chapter: More time with the family and the party with Alice.**

**Check my profile for updates! :)**

**-Kaylee**


	22. Cheeseball

**AN: Three weeks... Not too bad, right? This chapter was hard to get through for some reason. But it's here in honor of Eclipse. You'll all hate me for mentioning this, but I actually saw the movie last night (one of the perks of working at a theater). You will not be disappointed, so enjoy! :)**

**Thanks again to my beta, SwallowedxInxThexSea, as well as all my readers. You guys are awesome! And reviewers, you came very close to getting that second teaser for this chapter. Fourteen reviews for last chapter! Think you can beat that this time?**

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing beyond the plot of this story, Bella's grandparents, and Joshua. Everything else you recognize, not mine.**

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**Chapter 20 – Cheeseball**

EPOV

For being welcomed so easily into Bella's family, I still felt uncomfortable spending time at the Swan house. The fact that Bella could barely stay longer than a few hours herself didn't help.

The fact that I was a "perfectly functioning, virile, and willing" man meant that I was constantly being given advice on how to make _Bella_ more willing. Her Gran was unrelenting. Something new came out of her mouth at every pause.

"So, Edward, I bet with all those girls going in and out of the shop, you must be _very_ experienced. You must have so much to offer Isabella."

"Oh, Isabella! That boy makes you so happy. Has he finally put those long artistic fingers to a better use?"

"Those walls at your apartment better be thick, Edward. When you two finally discover how great it is to spend the night doing something _other_ than sleeping, your neighbors will get upset if you're too loud. Lord knows, our little Isabella will be a screamer."

"Maybe you should measure yourself, Edward. You need to be sure that you and Isabella have proper protection. It would be just horrible if you were to get the wrong size and something should happen!"

Bella had a habit of curling into my embrace whenever her grandmother opened her mouth, just in case. It was her preferred defense mechanism and I couldn't say I minded. It gave me an excuse to hold her. I just didn't appreciate the reason that she needed to hide.

I went as far as asking Jasper what I should do about it. That tactic didn't get me far at all.

"Dude, she actually said that shit to you?" he question between fits of laughter. "Oh, boy. You're in it for the long haul, buddy. Good luck." He gave me a sympathetic pat on the back before walking away.

Asking Rose during a slow period at work resulted in a similar response.

"That is priceless. I need to meet this woman. She needs to be congratulated for finally shoving the two of you to the edge. Now someone just needs to push you off…"

"Thank you, Rosalie. You do realize that it's really more about Bella not being ready than it is about something being wrong?"

She shrugged and went back to what she was doing. "Considering the boner I see you sport whenever she walks in the room, it's amazing you haven't jumped her yet. Maybe you'd be a bit less tense if you acted like Emmett for once in your life."

"But Bella-"

"Bella will do whatever the fuck you want because she loves you more than should be allowed." Rose looked back up at me and stared me down. "Seriously, if you guys don't just up and fuck each other soon, you're going to go insane."

Everyone seemed to be of the same opinion except Bella and me. We still fooled around, getting closer and closer to the point of no return, but we never discussed it. I tried a couple times, but Bella froze whenever anyone brought it up. It was better to let it go for now. I could wait for her, no matter what anyone else said.

It was getting closer to the big party Alice was planning. She'd been out of the hospital for over a week, but was still only allowed minimal activity. That was more than enough for her to plan a party. She took pleasure in ordering everyone else around to get what she wanted.

I was nervous about the party, even more so than I had been about meeting Bella's family. They – with the exception of Renee – felt compelled to give me a chance simply because Bella loved me. The people at the party would not have the same courtesy. They would see that I wasn't part of their own group and say I wasn't good enough. That fact in and of itself wasn't enough to make me worried; it was the idea that it could affect Bella that made me nervous. She didn't need that.

Then there was the Alice factor to contend with….

"You need a suit," she told me. "Something dashing."

"Why does it matter what I wear? No one's going to care either way," I protested.

"It's my party and I want you to look good. Emmett and Rose already agreed to dress up," she glared at me. "Not to mention I'm a hormonal mess. If you don't let me have this, it will probably throw me into a fit and then you'll have to deal with Jasper."

She had to play the baby card… She knew I wouldn't imagine doing anything that would hurt the baby. I sighed and allowed her what she wanted. I ended up with fitted black dress pants, a black button-up shirt, and a grey vest with subtle white pinstripes. Alice assured me it was fine and appropriate for the occasion. I wasn't so sure, but I wouldn't argue with her.

"I take it this means you're picking out Bella's outfit as well," I guessed.

"Of course. You two are a power couple now, whether you want to admit it or not and you need to make a good impression with the uptown crowd. Bella needs to look radiant next to you and she will," Alice explained. "But no, I will not, under any circumstances, give you hints."

"Damn you and your pregnancy hormones," I grumbled. "They're making you into one sneaky manipulator."

"But you still love me," she said before pushing me out of the room so she could decide how to dress Bella.

A few days before the party, I was invited back to the Swans for dinner. Bella insisted it would help get me in the right mindset, but we were both uncomfortable with the turn of events.

Bella's mother was droning on and on about her friend's daughter's new billionaire fiancé and pointedly ignoring my presence while Bella clenched her fist around my hand to prevent herself from murdering her mother.

Charlie, Ronald, and I exchanged uncomfortable glances every once in a while. It was official that they were on my side, but those glances meant that no one would be able to get Renee to shut up. Eleanor was in her element, subtly insulting her daughter and pushing Bella and I closer to the edge. But even with Gran's overwhelming backup, Renee was a force to be reckoned with.

"Oh, Bella," she spewed. "With a man like that, you'd never have to work a day in your life! You could spend time at home, raising children, throwing magnificent parties, and supporting your husband. It's a perfect existence to be sure."

"Mother, I told you. _I don't want that_," Bella insisted. "And stop acting like Edward isn't here. He doesn't deserve this."

"Baby, it's fine," I tried to reassure her, but she wouldn't have it.

"I refuse to have her treat you as an inferior," she hissed back to me. "It's degrading to you and immature on her part."

I sighed, reaching over to stroke her back, and nodded.

"See, what I don't understand is _why_," Renee said, completely ignoring me. "You keep saying you want to work and you want a normal life…. But that's not how we raised you."

Bella stiffened as the rest of the table went silent. Her mother continued, unfazed.

"Every little girl's dream is to be treated like a princess, right? Well, the perfect way to get that is to marry someone like James or Lettie's boy, Mark. To stoop to the level of a struggling artist recovering from a meth addiction is just silly, Isabella. You'll grow out of it soon enough and return to what makes sense."

Once again, Bella's hand found mine and she proceeded to channel her anger into crushing my fingers. I rubbed the back of her hand with my thumb, trying to soothe her, but it didn't seem to have any effect.

Bella cleared her throat and addressed the rest of the table. "May we be excused? I'm not feeling well and I know Edward isn't a big fan of what we have for dessert."

"Of course, Bella," Charlie said carefully, eyeing his wife. "You two kids go unload some steam and we'll see you later."

"Don't do anything we wouldn't do!" Eleanor sang as we calmly left the dining room.

By the time we reached Bella's room, she was ready to unleash her fury. She slammed the door closed so hard that some of the CDs on her shelves shook.

"I can't believe her! The nerve…! She may as well have called you the spawn of the devil and gotten it over with!" she fumed, pacing in the limited space.

"Bella-"

"She's still trying to set me up with people, you know. Behind my back. It's like I don't even have the option of thinking for myself at this point. Anything less than a millionaire is off the market, after all!"

"Baby, I-"

"Fuck! I can't deal with this! You are not trash, Edward! You're a wonderful, caring, sexy, hardworking man who doesn't deserve her shit and-"

"Bella!" I said, wrapping my arms around her and effectively putting her pacing to an end. "Baby, you need to calm down."

"I can't, Edward," she said. Her body was still tense beneath my grasp. "I can't let her win this. It's past the point of no return for me."

I ran my hands up and down her arms and kissed the top of her head. "Baby, you're making it worse. You're giving her what she wants. What we need to do is stay calm and try to ignore her. If that doesn't work, we run away, elope in Vegas, and move in with some Eskimos."

My ridiculous comment finally got a reaction out of her. She cocked an eyebrow at me and I felt some of the tension recede.

"Eskimos? You've got this all planned out?" she asked.

"Well, I had to think about it for a while when I thought I'd need to kidnap you to save you," I said, focusing on getting her to relax. "Did you really think I was going to let you marry that asshole? No. Back then, I was planning on dragging you on a road trip to Niagara Falls and ask you to marry me on that stupid boat."

The sniffle she tried to hide alerted me to the fact that she was crying. I looked up to see a few tears falling down her cheeks.

"Baby? What's wrong?"

She shook her head and let her forehead rest on my shoulder.

"Bella? Was it something I said, love?"

"You're so good to me, Edward," she whispered. Looking up at me, she gave me the sweetest smile. One of her hands reached up to play with the hair at my neck. "I love you so much and I have no idea what I did to get a man like you."

I leaned down and kissed her tenderly. "Better me than James," I said. "Would he come up with a contingency plan to get you up to the Eskimos? I don't think so."

She laughed and kissed my jaw. "Damn, I was really looking forward to that boat ride," she joked back.

I chuckled and led her over to the bed. We lay next to each other, just talking for a while.

"I don't want to go back down there," Bella confessed as she noticed the time getting later.

"Neither do I, love. Your Gran is starting to make me seriously consider that Eskimo integration," I laughed.

"She just wants me to be happy," she groaned. "It's just that she thinks happiness is always somehow linked to sex."

I shrugged. "I guess they kind of are tied, if you think about it. I mean, so many marriages these days end because they're not satisfied with the sex."

Bella nodded, but wouldn't look me in the eye. When I asked her what was wrong, she hesitated.

"Well… I mean, do you…." She sighed, playing with one of the buttons on my shirt. "Are you getting frustrated with me? For not sleeping with you, I mean."

My jaw dropped. Even without seeing her face, it was easy to see that my answer was very important, despite the simplicity of the question. I sighed and lifted her chin. She still wouldn't meet my gaze.

"Bella, love, I need to look into your beautiful eyes when I tell you this," I coaxed. She finally, reluctantly, looked up. "There are two parts to my answer, so please don't freak out. In terms of the perpetually immature, physically-oriented part of my brain, I think I am a little frustrated. But that's only because you're so ridiculously sexy without even realizing it."

I let my hand slip down her side, grazing the edge of her breast as I went. She gasped, but didn't look away. That was good. She needed to see what I meant – _all_ of what I meant – and that I wasn't about to force her into anything.

"If I could, I would drag you back to my place right now and worship you for days like you deserve. I can't deny that I want that. I want to see you under me, writhing with pleasure that only I can give you," I said, my tone dropping to a huskiness I usually tried to restrain around her.

Her eyes turned glassy and her breathing hitched as she listened. The thin fabric of her dress failed to hide the pounding of her heart.

I took a deep breath before continuing. "But I know you're not ready for that, baby. I am willing to wait for you and you need to know that. I won't resent you if you want to wait until we're married. I won't get mad at you if you tell me to stop something because you're not ready. I don't want you to worry about me not being satisfied. This is more than just about me and my physical satisfaction. I _love_ you, Isabella Swan. I'm not some asshole waiting around until you put out just to drop you on the curb. I'm in this for the long haul."

Her lip started to quiver, some tears still falling, and I was afraid I'd upset her without meaning to.

"Are you okay, Bella?" I asked cautiously.

She took a shaky breath. "You are such a frickin' cheeseball," she managed to get out, lightly hitting my chest before cuddling into my side. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, love," I answered, kissing the top of her head. "Now, do we go back to join your family, risking torture and uncomfortable conversations, or do we stay up here and discuss contingency plans?"

The next few days Bella and I spent apart. She had become Alice's slave, planning and preparing for the party while I was at work. Alice was a force to be reckoned with for sure. It would be interesting to see how the party came together. To my shock – and great relief – she asked me to extend invitations to Emmett and Rosalie as well as my aunt and uncle. Despite Bella's wishes, this party was partly for her and me; it would be nice to have some people I knew there.

Finally, Saturday came and Rosalie and I closed shop a little after lunchtime. I double-checked that everyone knew where to go and when to be there. I was freaking out and it wasn't even my party to host.

As instructed, I showed up at Alice's family's house an hour before the party was scheduled to begin. The door swung open to reveal a flustered woman in a chef's coat.

"Are you Edward?" she snapped.

I nodded, confused. "Do you want a photo ID?"

"Don't back talk me, boy. I've dealt with so much shit today and I'm not in the mood."

Another younger girl popped her head around the corner. "Is that him?" she asked.

"Unfortunately," the first grumbled.

"Oh, thank god. We need you in here," the second panicked. "Dan's messing everything up and we can't-"

"Can't leave you alone for ten minutes without something going wrong," the woman fumed. She pointed to me. "You, go to the living room and sit your ass down. There, my job is done."

Without another word, both of them rushed off to deal with whatever Dan had screwed up. I shrugged to myself and entered the house, shutting the door behind me. It didn't take long to find the living room. It was the only room in the house that didn't have people scrambling in and out pinning up decorations or moving furniture. No, this room only had one poor soul in it.

"Jasper, you look like someone's got a gun to your head," I said. "What's with the statuesque pose?"

He rolled his eyes. "Apparently the two of us are under orders to not mess up our own clothes or the room. Which, for me, translates into not moving."

"Wow, you're more whipped than I am," I laughed.

"You just wait until Alice checks in here again," he warned with a glare. "If she doesn't approve, you'll get a beating in places you don't want to hurt."

He was dead serious and I knew it. I sighed and sat across from him, allowing myself to slouch slightly.

"How long have you been in here?" I asked.

"Eh, about twenty minutes. It's better than the last party she threw here. We weren't married yet and she was scared to death about what her parents would say if I screwed anything up. She sat me in here for three hours before the party just to make sure I'd be ready," he explained. "Bella's managing to keep her somewhat calm this time because of the baby."

I nodded. "And how's that whole adventure going?"

He sighed and played with the ends of his sleeves. "Well, some days I feel like it's the greatest thing that's happened to us and the next day I want to hide from my crazy, hormonal wife, no matter how much I love her."

And here I thought a normal Alice was bad enough…

"Good to know."

"We're both very excited though. Once you get past the mood swings, the cravings, the morning sickness… it's kind of awesome," he said, cracking a smile.

I laughed and nodded. "Glad everything's working out, man. Congrats."

"Thanks."

We spent the next forty-five minutes just talking between us – and Emmett as well when he and Rose arrived. Rosalie went to join the girls, but Emmett was instructed to stay out of the way with Jasper and me.

"Dude! You look like a frickin' rock star," my cousin said, staring at my outfit. "That girl of yours is going to flip her shit when she sees you."

I shrugged uncomfortably. "I was told to wear this. And no one wants an upset Alice," I said.

"Well, from what I've heard, you're going to be in one hell of a state when you see Bella," Emmett said. "She's got a-"

"Emmett…" Jasper warned.

"Right. No revealing the outfit. Sorry."

I groaned and leaned back into the couch. "Come on… I don't get any warning?"

"Let's just say you may rethink your opinions about waiting until Bella is ready to jump her bones," Jasper said. "I saw when she tried it on before. You don't stand a chance."

"Thank god we'll be surrounded by a group of people then," I sighed. "Hopefully that will help keep me from going caveman…"

"Honestly, man, I'm surprised you haven't already!" Emmett announced. "That girl is a fucking queen. Nothing quite like my Rosie; she's a fuckin' goddess. But Bella is almost that level of awesome. I bet she'll be a fuckin' wildcat in the sack."

Images of Bella and me naked in various parts of my apartment popped through my head. Even the thought of Bella taking that step with me was mind-blowing. I squirmed in my seat as I developed the most inopportune erection in a while.

"Ugh, talk about something else. Something disgusting," I said.

"Does Alice being worried that her pussy is going to stretch beyond recognition after the baby count as something disgusting?" Jasper inquired.

"Shit! That's true?" Emmett said. "I thought that was one of those lies my mom told me to keep me from having sex in high school!"

"I heard girls sometimes take a dump at some point during the birthing too," I mumbled, trying to distract myself.

"Remind me to stay by Ali's head when the time comes," Jasper said, disgusted.

"Well, thanks, guys. That certainly had the desired effect," I said.

"Okay, boys! I need all three of you up and ready to mingle," Alice's voice called out as she finally acknowledged us. "The seats are for the guests."

She came around the corner and I saw Jasper visibly tense. His gaze was stuck on his wife who had managed to find a maternity dress that didn't make her look like a whale. She looked happier than I'd ever seen her. Pregnancy suited her apparently.

Rosalie followed in a bright red strapless dress, revealing all her tattoos. She was a bombshell on any given day, but this was enough to make Emmett cease movement altogether. That was rare.

But the third woman was the one that meant the most to me. Bella had a dark blue satin dress that came to her knees with a deep plunging neckline. The thin material clung to every curve. It gathered around her breasts and made them look spectacular. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes off her all night.

Jasper and Emmett complimented their women while I tried to break out of my Bella-induced stupor. They moved on to Bella and had her do a twirl so we could see the full effect. The straps crossed over her back and left most of it exposed.

"Close your mouth, lover boy," Alice ordered. "I don't need drool on my carpet."

Bella had just finished her twirl and met my eyes as I attempted to close my mouth in time. She blushed and it extended down to almost the end of her plunging neckline. It took a shitload of self-control to not to drag her upstairs and show her just how much I loved that dress.

"Wow," I finally muttered.

She looked down and started running her hands over the skirt, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles and folds. "I know it's a lot. It just looked so pretty and I didn't have anywhere else to wear it, and-"

I rushed forward and took her hands. "You look stunning, Bella," I breathed. "Absolutely beautiful."

Her blush grew more pronounced, but she smiled brightly. "You don't look so bad yourself, mister," she said.

We stood there, hand in hand, smiling at each other for a while before our friends got sick of it.

"Gah, I might gag with all the sweetness in the room," Rose said.

Bella broke our gaze with a small giggle. It was nice to see her becoming more comfortable expressing herself in front of others and not worrying about doing something wrong.

"Well, it's not like you two are known for your subtlety in public," I threw back at them as I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist.

Emmett laughed. "Oh yeah. I thought Rose was going to jump me right in the middle of the restaurant when she saw the-"

"Emmett!" Rose hissed, hitting his chest.

"Right. Sorry, babe," my cousin answered apologetically.

I cocked my eyebrow at him in a silent question, but he shook his head. Apparently he couldn't tell me.

As everyone else continued talking, I looked to Rose instead to see if I could solve the mystery. She stood very close to Emmett, even closer than she normally tended to. But something and completely out of character that was weird was the nervous fidgeting going on with her hands.

"Holy shit, you did it," I said quietly.

"What are you talking about?" Bella asked, looking up at me like I grew a second head.

Jasper and Alice looked just as confused, but Rosalie had a small smile on her face and she leaned into Emmett even more. My cousin was beaming down at his _fiancée_.

"Congratulations, guys," I smiled. "I'm glad he finally grew enough balls to do it."

Rose chuckled. "I knew he would eventually, but I'm glad he finally did."

Everyone was still baffled until Bella gasped, finally catching on.

"Oh my god, he proposed!" she squealed.

Rose burst into the most brilliant smile I'd ever seen on her face. "Thank god," she said. "I was having so much trouble just holding that in." She dug through her purse, pulled out a ring, and slipped it on her finger. "We were going to wait until this weekend to tell everyone, but fuck! This shit is hard."

"You're tellin' me," Emmett grumbled. "Do you realize how hard I'll have to suck up to my mom for not calling her the second you said 'yes'? She's been after me for months…."

"I'm sure Aunt Esme will forgive you, Em," I said.

"Yeah…. She'll never put up with that with you and Bella, though," he said.

"Right, like that'll happen anytime soon," Bella laughed. "I'm still recovering from my last engagement."

That statement was both depressing and a relief. I wanted Bella to be my wife, but I didn't want to go through the stress of proposing and subsequently dealing with planning a wedding. I didn't begrudge my cousin that task. Granted, Alice would probably take over everything by the end of the week.

Soon enough, the party was in full swing. I was being introduced to people left and right. There was no possible way I could remember all of them by the end of the night, but that didn't matter. What mattered was the beautiful girl in my arms and the fact that she simply glowed as we spoke to people.

My relatives were just thrilled at the idea of attending a party like this. It didn't matter that it was in celebration of Alice rather than one of the needless dinner soirees. I introduced them to Bella's parents – thankfully Ronald and Eleanor had made other plans and weren't able to make it.

Carlisle and Charlie bonded while Renee made the expected small talk before bolting to her comfort zone with her society friends. Esme cooed over Bella and how beautiful she looked. I hinted that they should go see how their son was doing. Judging by the squeals I heard minutes later, I knew Rose had given up the secret.

Eventually Bella stiffened against me. I followed her line of sight to see James Whitlock standing by the fireplace.

"I guess it wouldn't look right if he wasn't here to support his sister-in-law," Bella murmured.

"We don't have to go anywhere near him," I told her. "We can just pretend he's not here."

She nodded and turned to me. "It doesn't matter anyway. I'm here with the man I want. I have nothing to worry about," she smiled.

"That's right," I agreed. I leaned down and chastely kissed her because I could.

"Whoa, now! Let's keep that stuff where the parents can't see it, hmm?" a deep voice said from behind me.

"Jo! Holy shit, you scared that crap out of me," Bella said. She was smiling, so I came to the conclusion that this "Jo" character couldn't be all that bad.

I turned around to find that I was wrong. "Jo" was exactly what I thought Jasper would look like in five years. A perfect mix of all the good Whitlock genes. Which meant "Jo" was Joshua.

"You might want to cut out the swearing too, kid," he laughed.

"Shut up," she grumbled, leaning into my side and forcing the other man to acknowledge my presence.

"And were you planning on introducing me or throwing him to the sharks?"

"Right, sorry. Joshua, this is Edward Masen. My boyfriend. Edward, this is Joshua Whitlock, one of Jasper's older brothers," she said quickly.

"The boyfriend," Joshua said, shaking his head. "God, I never thought Little Bella would ever find someone outside the bubble."

"Uh, thanks?" I said.

"Listen, I know you got the whole brotherly overprotective speech from my brother and all that, but he can't quite get the point across," he said, narrowing his eyes at me.

I was screwed.

"Jo!" Bella hissed, but he ignored her.

"If you hurt her in any way, make her feel uncomfortable, lead her to question how much you care about her, or even let her scrape her knee without being there to help, I will hunt you down," he said.

And he meant it. This was no idle threat or precaution like it had been coming from Jasper. This guy meant business.

"And if I see one tear from her eyes that isn't caused by sheer joy, you're gone," he finished.

"Permission to speak freely?" I asked.

He cocked an eyebrow and gestured for me to proceed.

"Bella is my world," I said truthfully. "I know you don't really get how much that means, but it's way too much to fuck up. She is the only reason I'm even functioning at a normal level. If I do anything to screw this up, I deserve more than you could dish out to me. I love her and for some unknown reason, she loves me too. I'm not about to ruin that."

Joshua looked shocked. "Fuck! I thought Jasper was lying when he said you were self-deprecating. Guess not."

"What is it with the men in my life that forces them to converge on you like vultures to a hunk of dead meat?" Bella fumed as her honorary older brother left to mingle.

"I think it's your brilliant metaphors," I teased.

"Shut up, you know what I meant," she grumbled before continuing. "I mean, this is, what? The third time you've heard some form of that speech?"

"That you know of," I countered. "Count your dad and your grandfather separately. Then you've got Jake's buddies on steroids. Jasper, Alice, Emmett, and Rose each had something to say. Need I go on?"

"Seriously? They all need to back off. I love you and I don't care if I need to stand on the roof and scream it so the entire fucking world can hear. I love you, Edward Masen. They can all deal with it."

The feeling behind that statement caused her face to go a little pink and her chest heaved with the breaths she was taking. She looked magnificent standing there like that proclaiming her love. Even if it cost me some of my masculinity, I wouldn't have given that moment up for anything.

I wrapped her in my arms and kissed the spot behind her ear that made her knees go weak. "I wouldn't have it any other way, love."

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**AN: Too much fluff? Not enough? Let me know in a review! Ten reviews for the chapter gets a teaser on my profile. Beat the review per chapter record (still 15), get a _better_ teaser in addition. Also, any questions, concerns, suggestions, or additional comments can always be addressed in a PM. I read everything I get, so don't be afraid to drop me a line. :)**

**Next chapter: The rest of the party, including a little talk with James. Also, a surprise ending!**

**Please let me know what you think and I will try my best to get this next chapter out really quickly!**

**-Kaylee**


	23. Plans for the Future

**AN: I didn't want to make you guys wait an extra week for an update, so I decided to post this without really editing it. I'm going on vacation with my family as of tomorrow and I didn't really give my beta much time to edit since she has her own life (but I still love her and I will post her edits after I get back). So please excuse all errors for now and hopefully the hint of citrus will help. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not Twilight, not "King of Anything" by Sara Bareilles (the song I was listening to while writing the scene between Bella and James)... Only Bella's grandparents and the plot.**

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**Chapter 21 – Plans for the Future**

BPOV

Having Edward at the party was a godsend. I would never be able to deal without him at one of these again. Ever.

He was dealing with all the stuffy, uptight business men as if he did it every day. By actually listening to the fact that he knew how to string figures together with big business terms, they were able to look past the tattoos and see him as almost their equal. It was amazing.

Edward and my father were deeply engaged in a conversation about maximizing profit with some of my father's colleagues. I interjected once with my thoughts on the tattoo parlor and how it was run, but otherwise I remained quiet.

"I'm going to go get another drink," I told Edward quietly so as not to disturb the conversation. "Did you want anything?"

"No, baby, I'm good," he said, giving me a quick kiss on the top of my head. "Thanks."

I smiled up at him and excused myself from the conversation. It took nearly ten minutes to get to the drink table as I had to play the gracious guest of honor.

I took the chance to look out over the rest of the party. It was great to see the people I'd known forever mingling with my new favorite people. A content smile played across my face.

"I haven't seen that smile for years," I heard from beside me.

James picked up one of the few remaining expensive, imported beers. He looked just the same as he had for a few years. His suit was perfectly tailored and cleaned. His shoes were polished and gleaming. His hair wouldn't move from its perfect configuration until some skank ran her hands through it. He still maintained an air of superiority and arrogance as he spoke to me, hiding his displeasure over being dumped by reminding himself that I had chosen to throw my lot in with the filth of society. He was just like my mother in that respect.

"Well, I haven't been happy for years," I countered.

He turned to fully face me and glared. "How can you say that when I gave you everything you could ask for and then some? Girls would _kill_ to have that."

I couldn't deny that I'd been expecting him to finally confront me about everything. James was never one to go with the flow when it affected his life. If something didn't go his way, he whined and fought until someone else fixed it for him just like any other overly spoiled rich kid.

When my parents accepted his proposal for me, James Whitlock had every second of the rest of his life planned out, which also included every tiny detail of my future with it. I threw a wrench into his plans by rejecting him, and he didn't appreciate that. This wasn't a good change for him, but he needed to accept it.

"You gave me what you thought I wanted," I corrected him, keeping my voice controlled. "I never wanted you to parade me around like a trophy. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in a penthouse apartment decorated by the most expensive person you can find. That's not me, James! In case you haven't figured it out, I've never been _that girl_."

"You would have been. When you realized that I was doing all of that for you, you would have come to love it. My brother and his crazy wife have brainwashed you into believing that you need to love someone before marriage," he spat. "That's not true. You learn to love them for what they give you. And you would have been perfect."

"If I was perfect, why were you running around with girls on the side? If I was enough, why couldn't I make my own decisions?"

"None of that would matter!" he insisted. "If you just understood, you would never have a care in the world. You would never be put in a position to decide anything."

I sighed and shook my head. He was so stuck in his mentality that he didn't understand what it meant to be in a loving relationship.

"James, I really hope you find someone to make you see what the rest of us found. But what you're proposing just isn't for me," I said. "I would resent you. I would resent that life. I'm happy with Edward. We love each other, and that's enough."

I didn't let him reply. Nothing he had to say could change my opinion. He needed to see that and there was only so much I could do to try to force that insight.

Going back to Edward helped my state of mind. He smiled at me sweetly when I rejoined him until he noticed my distress. He raised an eyebrow, silently asking me what was wrong, but I just smiled back to assure him that I was okay. He slid his arm around my waist and kissed the side of my head to try to comfort me anyway.

By the time we managed to escape to our group of friends, I was much more relaxed. Edward was finally starting to get overwhelmed by the stuffy businessmen – the initial reaction had to wear off eventually, after all – and I was focused on keeping him sane. I whisked him away to the finished basement, which very few of the party guests actually knew about. I motioned to Rose and Alice to join us if they could get away. Within a few minutes, the six of us were lounging comfortably away from the ruckus of the party.

Alice flopped unceremoniously on one of the couches, making Jasper laugh. "No one warned me that I couldn't stand around in heels for hours once I started growing a kid inside me!" she whined. "This party is a disaster."

"Aw, it's the best swanky shindig I've ever been to, Alice!" Emmett reassured her.

"It's the only one," she scoffed. "And you spent the entire thing trying out the beer. I swear my father thinks you're a drunk frat boy crashing the party."

Rose laughed and settled herself on Emmett's laugh. "Nah, he just doesn't want to admit that he was overwhelmed. Why do you think we were hovering around Esme and Carlisle for so long?"

"Because Esme won't stop gushing about the wedding?" Edward laughed, claiming the loveseat.

"Cut her some slack, man. She's been waiting for this for _years_," Emmett groaned. "And for the record, it's going to be worse when the two of you finally get your shit together." He pointed at Edward and me as I settled against my boyfriend's chest.

Before either Edward or I could say anything, Rose interjected on our behalf. "Don't push it, Emmett. One wedding is enough to deal with," she said.

I shot her a look of gratitude to which she replied with a sympathetic smile. She could tell how much the James issue had affected me. It was too soon to deal with another engagement, no matter how much I loved Edward.

"Besides, I was hoping you girls could help me out with something," Rose continued.

I cocked an eyebrow at her and Alice inquired as to how could help.

"You see, I never really had too many friends, especially girls. So I'm a little lacking in the bridesmaids department…"

"Oh my god, yes!" Alice squealed. I saw Jasper cringe as his wife continued. "This is wonderful. We can help with everything! The dress, the flowers, the centerpieces, all of it! Have you thought about what you want to do for a color scheme? Don't you dare say you're doing a theme wedding or I may have to kill you. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"

I stood up and went over to hug Rose. "Even though I resent being lumped into everything Alice just said, I'd love to be your bridesmaid."

Rose smiled at me and Emmett gave me a quick kiss on the cheek to show his appreciation as well.

After that, we decided to put all talk of weddings on the back burner. Esme had been grilling Rose all night about what ideas they had so far, and it was too much for one time. The easiest change of topic was to turn to was Alice's pregnancy.

Jasper beamed and proudly told us all about how she was doing and what they could expect. She was about twenty weeks along now and starting to show.

"I'm not _starting to show_," she snapped. "I'm a fucking cow! And don't you dare try to calm me down about this, Jasper Whitlock. You are required to say that shit simply by having married me. Not to mention this thing is partly your fault."

I sighed and opened my mouth to speak, but Edward quickly cut me off.

"Alice, you don't look like a cow," he said.

"Fine, a hippo then," she rolled her eyes.

"No, you look beautiful," he insisted. "Sure, you're ankles look a little swollen and your stomach has finally started to pop, but that's not the first thing people see. They see how happy you look and that's what makes you beautiful."

Alice stared at him for a few seconds before smirking. "So you do think I look fat," she teased. "Whatever. As long as this little tyke finds its way out and lets me get some sleep once in a while, I'll be happy."

She smiled softly and ran her hands over the baby bump. When we were growing up, she always used to say that she didn't care if she had kids. She would be the cool aunt to my kids and that would be enough. But seeing her so happy over having a child of her own was wonderful.

I turned to see Edward looking down at me with a similar smile.

"What?" I whispered.

"Just thinking about what you would be like if you were the pregnant one," he answered just as quietly. His fingers played with the side of my dress, but avoided skimming over my stomach and giving anyone the wrong impression. "How your face would look radiating that same happiness."

"I missed my cheeseball," I laughed. "All those stuffy business men tried to suck all the fluff out of you."

He kissed the end of my nose and smiled. "No, you just make me want to say all kinds of unmanly things. I think Emmett is about ready to stage an intervention to rediscover my masculinity."

I smirked and let my fingers lightly stroke his thigh. "I don't think there's anything questionable about your masculinity," I said, lowering my voice even more. "Not after some of the things you've done to me."

The effect of my words was clear instantly. My body was hiding it from the rest of the room, but there was no doubting the sudden pressure against my hip. It amazed me that I could affect him so much so easily.

He groaned and dragged his nose along my neck before kissing the skin behind my ear. "You are asking for trouble, Miss Swan," he growled playfully.

"You better believe it," I teased. "I just wish we didn't have to stay at this stupid party so we could explore this further."

My brazenness was surprising. While I fully accepted that I was no longer allowed in the Pure White Virgin Club anymore, I was still innocent. Edward was the first man to look beyond the name, the money, and the body to see the girl. He was the first man I wanted to impress. He was the _only_ man I wanted to be with, but I had no idea what I was doing.

Sure, I could give him a boner in less than a second. It was easy to pick out what got him hot and bothered. But that had taken practice. Three years of observing, listening, learning…

Sex was a completely different story. Even after technically being together for a few months, I was nowhere near ready to take that step – no matter how much my body wanted him to ravish me for days. Edward hadn't voiced any opinions on the matter beyond that he was willing to wait for me. He either had the patience of a saint or plans to fool around a lot between now and then.

I was voting for option number two.

"Can we not discuss this right now?" he sighed. "I don't need to be pitching a tent the size of Texas when I go back upstairs to make small talk with your dad and his golf buddies."

"I was thinking more along the lines of Alaska, it being the biggest state in terms of land mass, but Texas works too," I mused. "I'll have to keep the image of you in a cowboy hat, assless chaps, and cowboy boots in mind…"

Another groan escaped his throat and I had to struggle to contain my fit of laughter.

"Baby Bell, what's so funny?" Emmett called, breaking me out of my Edward-induced haze.

"You don't want to know," I wheezed. "You _really_ don't want to know."

He cocked an eyebrow and looked between his cousin and me. "Fine, then. Just make sure to keep it clean for the rest of us, okay?"

I nodded innocently as Edward buried his face in my neck, muttering, "You will be the death of me, woman."

The rest of the party went smoothly. Edward and I continued to make the rounds, lingering around his relatives to escape the socialites. Even when James finally came up with a response, it didn't ruin the evening.

Edward was telling Jasper about the new tattoo he was planning on getting – the angel – while sliding his arms around my waist and anchoring me to him yet again when James strode up to us with no regard for the current conversation. He looked right at me and broke through the other voices.

"You know, this is actually a better deal for me. Now I don't have to lie about how you look anymore while I go behind your back and fuck other girls," he said, keeping his voice just low enough to not attract other attention. "It's a miracle you found anyone who likes you at all. Or maybe he's just too fucked up to know the difference. Either way, I'm glad to be rid of you."

I stared, gaping, as he merged back into the party. The only thing that broke me out of my initial reaction of stunned silence was the trembling feeling that wasn't coming from me.

Edward was shaking furiously, his hands balled into fists and his arms tightening around me. It hurt a little, but I couldn't focus on that. I needed him to calm down.

"Edward," I said, rubbing my hands over his soothingly.

His breath hissed through his clenched teeth. "That bastard," he spat, holding me tighter. "He has no right to say those things."

"Baby, I can't breathe," I whimpered involuntarily.

His arms instantly loosened, but his fists clenched tighter in response. I spun in his arms to face him. His face was set in a dark, fury-ridden expression as he glared across the room.

I put my hand on his cheek and let my thumb caress his skin. No words needed to be said at that point. He knew I was there for him, so I let that be enough while he started to calm down. When I felt the palms of his hands settle on my lower back, I knew he was doing okay.

"Hey," I whispered. His eyes finally met mine and I saw the anger still flowing. "He's nothing. Nothing he says matters, okay? You are the man I love. If you ever said something like that, I would kick your ass. But you are the kindest, most caring, most wonderful man I know. So I don't care what anyone else has to say." I paused to let that sink in before I continued. "Now, tell your inner Prince Charming that he doesn't need to defend my honor."

He sighed and rested his forehead against mine. "Just the fact that he doesn't understand how special you are…."

"I know, baby," I soothed. "If any skank ever said that about you, I would want her dead. But if this means we'll never have to deal with him again, then so be it. I can live with that. There's no need to make this any worse than it already is."

"I love you," Edward said, staring into my eyes. "You need to know that."

"I do," I assured him. "I've known for a long time. And I love you too."

"Shit, this looked like it had so much more potential," Emmett whined. "Eddie looked like he was going to flip his lid! Now it just looks like a sequel to _The Notebook_."

I laughed and settled my head against Edward's chest, turning to look at our friends. "Come on, Emmett. We all know you secretly love that movie. Beyond just the sex scene."

"He totally cried the first time I made him watch it," Rose announced proudly.

"Allergies, Rosie! My eyes were watering because of my allergies," he hissed.

"Just admit it, Em," Edward warned, "or I'll tell them about how you bawled for an hour the first time you saw _The Lion King_."

The big, burly man sighed in defeat. "Fine. But don't expect any help from me when they find out how you reacted when you saw _Monsters Inc._ for the first time."

Edward shrugged and kissed the top of my head, laughing along with the rest of us at Emmett's expense.

Finally, people started leaving. No one looked more relieved than Alice. She had been leaning on Jasper for the last hour of the party out of sheer exhaustion. I don't think she realized just how much hosting this party would take out of her.

"Go get some sleep," I told her as I hugged her goodbye. "I'm sure everyone will understand."

She smiled and shooed me out, knowing I was eager to finally get some alone time with Edward. I'd been spending much more time at home since I confessed about Edward to my parents – even considering the crazy escape attempts we'd pulled since my grandparents came into town. Before the party, I told my father that I would be spending the night at Edward's place and refused to let him talk me out of it.

Edward must have been just as eager as I was. He grabbed my hand as soon as we were out of the party and pulled me toward the car. I giggled at his eagerness, which caused him to smirk back at me. He deposited me on the passenger's side of his car, giving me one deep kiss before running to the driver's side.

It took about five minutes less than it should to get back to Edward's apartment that night. As we walked up the stairs, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to jump him or burst into an uncontrollable laughter over how giddy he looked.

My mind was made up by the time he shut the door. I jumped, wrapping my legs around his waist, as he turned around. His eyes widened in surprise, but he managed to catch me and respond in kind when I molded my lips to his.

Edward groaned and planted his hands on my ass, pulling me closer.

"God, Bella, you have no idea how much I've wanted to do this all night," he breathed, trailing kisses down my neck. "That dress…"

One of his hands moved to my breast and I gasped, letting my head fall back. "Edward," I sighed. "Fuck, you looked so hot tonight."

His lips found their way back to my mouth. We took our time exploring each other's mouths and bodies. Edward turned around and sandwiched me against the wall to give us more stability.

"I need to feel you," I whined, finally breaking off the kiss. "I need your hands on me, Edward."

He smiled and placed one last lingering kiss on my lips. "Come on, baby. Let's get you out of this thing," he smirked.

My dress disappeared on the way to his bedroom, leaving me in only a pair of lacy blue boy shorts. I managed to get his vest off and some of the buttons undone. My hands roamed the warm skin of his toned chest.

"You need to stop that if we're going to make it to the bed, baby," he groaned as my thumb grazed his nipple.

I smiled innocently and moved my thumb back over the sensitive skin, causing him to groan again.

He tossed me gently onto the bed and crawled over me. I quickly rid him of the shirt completely as he paid special attention to my nipples in revenge. He had me panting and almost to my breaking point sooner than I thought possible, but pulled me back from the edge and failed to let me come yet.

I growled at him and grabbed at his pants, trying to get the button undone and get access to his glorious shaft.

"Eager, baby?" he chuckled.

"You have no idea," I breathed, palming him over his boxers.

I let my hand stroke him as his fingers trailed down to my center. Needing more contact, I kissed him again and pushed my hips into his hand.

We took our timing pleasuring each other, finding new ways to bring excitement and discovering new thrills. Soon enough, Edward was on top of me, moving his hips against mine and creating the most delightful friction where I needed it the most.

He knew me well enough that we both kept our underwear on to prevent the temptation to do anymore than this. I still wasn't ready, but if it made Edward happy, it wouldn't be too hard to convince me.

"You feel so good," he whispered in my ear as he moved over me.

"I love you so much," I said, arching into him.

"Fuck, Bella," he groaned.

"Ugh, Edward, yes!"

I panted, watching as my beautiful man fell over the edge just after me. He rested his head on my chest as he came down from his high. I ran my fingers through his hair, content to be with him like that.

"God, I missed this, baby."

"Family or no family, I am spending at least three nights a week here from now on," I decided.

He chuckled and kissed my chest above my heart. "Best decision ever," he agreed.

Forgoing everything else, we fell asleep right there on his bed, Edward's head resting on my chest.

I woke up before him the next morning. We had shifted positions during the night. He was now wrapped around me, his arms pulling me back against him. I smiled and wiggled my way out of his grasp.

Knowing it would make him react strongly when he woke up, I chose to wear the button-down he'd worn to the party the night before. Cheerfully, I danced around the kitchen as I made the coffee and chose some fruit for breakfast.

Edward woke up a while later and joined me in the kitchen wearing a pair of loose gym shorts. He stopped short as he noticed me in his shirt. Groaning, he pressed a quick kiss to my cheek before grabbing his coffee.

"Already making me lose control and I haven't even had my coffee yet," he mumbled. "Devil woman."

I chuckled and danced into the living room to watch TV. I planted myself on the couch in an innocent pose that clearly showed off my legs.

It was futile to deny that I was trying to make Edward lose it at that point. Seeing his eyes darken in pleasure would never get old. And this time was no different.

Edward growled and sat at the other end of the couch, pulling my foot up to his mouth. He gently and slowly kissed his way up my leg, showing extreme tenderness.

My phone ringing disturbed this perfect domestic picture. I grabbed it from the end table behind my head and checked the caller ID to see if it was important.

"Shit," I sighed. "It's Dad." I flipped open the small device. "Hey, Dad."

Edward cocked an eyebrow at me, but continued his expedition up my leg.

"Good morning, Bella. How's Edward?" my father said on the other end of the line.

"Um, he's good. Really good. He's finding something to eat right now," I lied, trying in vain to get my boyfriend's face out from between my legs.

"Good. Well, I'm sorry to say, I need to cut your time a little short," he said. His tone had me worried.

"What's wrong, Dad? Is it Mom? Ali? Jazz?"

"No, it's your grandparents," he said sadly.

"Oh, shit! Are they okay?"

My mind started flipping through all the worst case scenarios. I loved them and I couldn't imagine losing either of them. I wasn't ready to deal with that.

"They're moving back to the city," he finally confessed.

That was worse than anything that had come to mind before.

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**AN: Surprise! More Gran, more often! Isn't that a good surprise ending? Let me know what you thought in a review! Ten reviews for the chapter will get a teaser on my profile after I get back. Fifteen (15) will get a _better_ teaser.**

**Next Chapter: More about the wedding and the baby, and maybe a male bonding session.**

**I have no idea if I'll have internet access where I'll be, so if not, I will respond to anything when I get back at the end of the week. Thanks for reading! :)**

**-Kaylee**


	24. Family Ties

**AN: I am so sorry this took so long. Edward was not cooperating at all. But, I finally got it out. I did get a little impatient and I'm posting this before my beta has had enough time to edit, so if there is anything major that needs changing I will repost it. Thanks again to everyone who has read and reviewed. Especially Death's First Bite who reviewed every chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing.**

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**Chapter 22 – Family Ties**

EPOV

Bella never ceased to amaze me. Even when she was sure that she wasn't ready to take the next step in our relationship, she was a vixen. She managed to completely destroy all civility and gentlemanly instincts I had with a simple look or chaste kiss. I honestly had no idea how I'd managed not to jump her every time I saw her.

When I saw her standing in the kitchen wearing only my shirt and looking like she'd been thoroughly fucked the night before, I had to hold myself back by remembering that she needed to be worshipped and pampered before I even considered having my wicked way with her.

Then when she decided to be a tease, the wall I'd thrown up cracked slightly. It was time to give her a taste of her own medicine. Her legs, draped so casually over the couch, were just begging for attention.

I couldn't help the growl that escaped me as I sat near her feet. She was almost panting as I looked into her eyes while my lips caressed the soft length of her leg. As I continued, I scooted closer to her to reach the areas I most wanted.

I was too deeply ingrained in giving her pleasure to notice that her phone started ringing. She attempted to push me away as she answered it, but I wouldn't relent. I couldn't move away from her.

"Um, he's good. Really good. He's finding something to eat right now," she muttered.

I chuckled inwardly, knowing that it was partly true. Though it was doubtful that I would make it to my ultimate goal.

Soon, her squirming ceased altogether, but not in the way I would hope for. I placed one last lingering kiss on her thigh before seeing what was wrong. Her eyes were wide with fear and her whole body tensed.

I knelt in front of her and lightly massaged her legs, hoping to get her to relax. "Bella?" I asked quietly.

She leaned her head back against the couch and quickly wrapped up the conversation. "Damn it!" she yelled after she shut the phone. She pulled her legs up to her chest and groaned.

That move created a small space behind her. I wedged myself into that space and pulled her back against my chest. "Baby, what's wrong?" I asked.

"My grandparents are moving back to the city," she whispered, sounding horrified.

My first reaction was to laugh. It seemed ridiculous to be scared about having to interact with family too often, but two things kept me from laughing. One, Bella would seriously hurt me if I did. Two, I remembered that I would also have to deal with Ronald and Eleanor Cobb on a regular basis because of it.

I sighed. "That sounds downright scary."

"On the bright side, I'll have more of a reason to hide here," she laughed weakly.

I smiled and kissed her temple. "And I'll always be happy to hide you away from everyone."

It turned out that their move was a lot sooner than any of us expected. From the initial discussion, it sounded like the decision had just been made and the actual move would be a few months off. That was not the case. The decision had been made before they'd even made their most recent visit. They had started packing everything already too.

So three weeks after that horrible phone call, I found myself hauling boxes from a moving van to an ostentatious townhouse within the city limits. Charlie and Ronald were working just as hard, though we were all worried that the older man would throw out his back.

Bella, her mother, and her grandmother were inside sorting through the boxes as we brought them in. Bella looked ready to hide under the sofa and disappear when the other women started talking about when they first moved in with their husbands.

"Get me out of here," she whispered as I walked by.

"Sorry, baby. Unless you want to carry these boxes in, there's nothing I can do," I said, kissing the top of her head.

She pouted, but continued sorting through the box at her feet.

By lunchtime, we were only about a third of the way through. I leaned against the moving truck, leaning my head back against the cool metal. It felt nice to take a break while the others were inside dealing with the elaborate dining room set. I smiled as I heard footsteps and opened my eyes to see Bella carrying two plates of food, bottles of water under her arm.

"You escaped," I laughed.

She beamed at me and set the food on a few of the boxes still lying on the ground before hurrying over to me. "Of course I did," she said teasingly. "I couldn't resist this ounce of free time to ogle my boyfriend's abs through his sweat soaked shirt."

I groaned and settled my hands on her hips. "Not now, baby," I muttered. "Not with your family just through the front door and another few hours of work still to go."

She pouted a little as she pulled back a bit. "Damn it," she muttered.

I cocked an eyebrow and smirked down at her. "Were you hoping to get some or try to lure me into escaping in the hope of getting some?"

Bella bit her lip, not meeting my eyes. "Was I that obvious?" she asked, playing with the hem of my shirt.

"Baby, I love you, but you're transparent," I said. "At least to me. Besides, we can't leave. We need to stay for the whole day and finish at a normal time or Rose will kill me for not letting her take as much time off with Emmett."

I'd taken the full day off work, knowing that Pete and Drew would be fine now that they were trained for everything. Rose and I decided to hire them as full time employees since we were still discussing expanding. Knowing that there were others to help would make everything a little easier, but I knew I couldn't run away from work for the day as easily if we expanded.

The shop had been growing steadily for the past few months. I was trying to think of ways to appeal to more people than just the stereotypical crowd. The new shop – if we ever got it – would have to break out of the sketchy, run-down image and appear respectable. That would take some work and some help.

Yet all that was sitting on the back burner until Rose and Emmett were finally married. My Aunt Esme and Rose were both wading through the initial preparations. When Bella and I went over for a family dinner, they had swatches of fabric and pictures of various decorations scattered everywhere. It was daunting. To think that this was what Bella had gone through with her mother – and that had probably been even worse because she wasn't willing – was scary.

"We'll elope," I told Bella that night. "Or just do something small at the courthouse. You don't need to go through all this."

She just smiled back at me. "No, I'm having a real wedding. It won't be very big, but I am wearing a white dress and I'll be damned if my father isn't walking me down that aisle."

I chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Okay, baby. If that's what you want."

The group of us was also enthralled with Alice and Jasper's newest development. As the weeks passed, she became more and more prone to strange mood swings and the classic food cravings. Jasper, however, seemed to be getting a great deal out of it.

"Man, she's been an animal lately," Jasper said with a bemused tone as he planted himself on the couch as we watched a Red Sox game at my apartment. "Granted, she's a little more energetic than a normal girl regularly, but holy shit! It's like we're seventeen again…. Only now we don't have to go sneaking around."

"I didn't even think that was even possible for her to go for it that often," Emmett laughed. "That girl is going to be like Bella's grandmother one day, you know. Sex on the mind, twenty-four-seven."

I groaned and let my head fall on the pillow behind me. "Don't fucking remind me, Em," I said. "I need time _away_ from that woman."

"What did she do this time?" Jasper asked curiously as Emmett snickered.

"She decided to introduce us to the different flavors or sex so we weren't stuck to 'just the vanilla crap that gets old fast,'" I quoted. "She provided photo and video examples. Bella hasn't let me touch her in a week."

"Seems like the answer is to knock her up, man," my cousin suggested.

Jasper and I both gaped at him, amazed that an answer like that would come out of his mouth so nonchalantly after being trained by Rose for years.

"What?" he asked, confused. "This one's getting tail like five times a day now. It seems like the right way to go."

"Please don't tell me you're using this same philosophy with Rose," I said, honestly scared that he might do it.

"Well, no, but it might be a smart-"

"No, Emmett. No," I insisted. "You and I both know Rose wants a little boy that looks like a carbon copy of you, but not yet. Wedding first."

He sighed. "Yeah, I know…"

I rolled my eyes and turned to our friend Jasper. "So, how far along is Alice now?"

"Just about thirty weeks," he said proudly. "Her mom's been thinking about having the baby shower within the next few weeks."

"Any idea which colors you're getting inundated with yet?"

Jasper smirked but shook his head. "Ali doesn't want to know. She doesn't care either way, but she wants it to be a surprise."

"You're having a girl," Emmett said confidently. "You've already got the overprotective gene and that girl of yours wants nothing more than someone to mold. So it's either a daughter or a little boy that's gonna need a lot of counseling."

I choked on the laughter that bubbled up when I saw Jasper's expression. He looked determined, but somewhat resigned. He knew Emmett was right, but didn't want to admit it.

While Alice was horny and excited, Rose was finally starting to realize why Bella complained about wedding plans so much, even if she wanted to marry Emmett. She spent a lot of time at work looking through bridal magazines and getting frustrated by distinguishing different colors for themes and invitations.

"Look at this!" she yelled, throwing a set of swatches in my lap.

"It looks like a few white pieces of fabric to me," I said tentatively.

"They're all the same fucking color! I don't know how Esme expects me to do this without going insane," she groaned. "I'm having nightmares about centerpieces and dresses and color schemes…. I don't know how Bella did this."

I stood up and gave her what I hoped was a comforting hug. "She didn't, Rose. Think about it," I said. "She didn't even want to be planning one and she was doing all these things. Just because you want to marry my cousin, doesn't mean this shit is easy."

She rested her read on my shoulder and sighed. "It all looks so easy at the beginning. No one notices the details until they look at the pictures anyway…. It is all utterly ridiculous and I hate it."

"Then you need to tell either Esme or Emmett, Rose," I said. "They need to know that you're pushing yourself to the edge."

"Like that would go over well. Emmett specifically told me he wants a short engagement," she said.

"Then work on the parts you want to worry about and leave the rest to Aunt Esme. She _wants_ to do this for you Rose."

"I guess you're right," Rose said, finally stepping out of my embrace. "Do you think Bella would kill me if I just took her fake ideas from the wedding that will never happen and tweak them?" I opened my mouth to answer, but she continued before I had the chance. "Actually, never mind. It was probably all frilly and ridiculous to please her mother."

I laughed. It probably was true. I handed Rose back the swatches of fabric and let her get back to looking at book after book of wedding dresses.

The weeks flew by. Between work, spending time with Bella, and helping Emmett and Rose with wedding plans, I was thoroughly busy.

The crowd at Twilight had moved back to a normal level for us, but most of the appointments were new people referred by old customers. Rose and I kept an eye out for any good locations for a bigger shop, but didn't find anything – which was a mild relief for Rose, and me by default, so we didn't have anything else to worry about while trying to plan her wedding.

Bella and I reached a point in our relationship where we were comfortable talking about anything. It seemed like we were there before, but we were both holding back. I finally let myself talk to her about the darker periods in my life after my parents passed. She finally let me see just how much her mother's disapproval hurt her.

That was a rough night. We spent hours letting everything out and Bella ended up sobbing into my chest for over an hour, falling asleep when exhaustion won out. She didn't notice that I was crying right along with her.

I stayed away from the marriage talk, but she seemed very willing to talk to Rosalie about it. Bella would randomly interject with her own ideas, what she wanted for her dream wedding. I kept a mental tab of each one I heard. I also knew that I needed to give Rose and Emmett the best wedding present I could think of to show my appreciation for them politely declining to use Bella's suggestions. They knew I was hoping she would get that dream wedding.

Alice and Jasper started to spend more time with us at Emmett's place as well. Alice couldn't do as much as she was used to while her stomach kept expanding, but she was more than happy to deal with color swatches and patterns with Rose. To Jasper, the wedding planning was a lifesaver. She was apparently going stir crazy because she wasn't allowed to shop for long periods of time anymore.

As the weeks passed, we began to gather at Bella's house when there were Red Sox or Patriots games. Jasper, Emmett, Charlie, Ronald, and I spent our time watching the game while the girls and Eleanor poured over bridal magazines and things like that. It meant dealing with more comments from Bella's grandmother when she was there, but at least there were others getting similar comments.

"I knew it wouldn't take that boy long to knock you up," she told Alice. "He's been hot for you since you were young. And from what I've seen, he is _more _than capable of passing on some good genes."

Bella gaped at her grandmother, but Jasper looked smug.

"Oh, he'll pass on some good genes alright," Alice laughed. "This one already kicks just like him." She rubbed her expanding stomach affectionately. She was almost seven months along by then.

Jasper leaned down to kiss her cheek before heading off to watch the game. Emmett and Rose were still standing by the edge of the room, amazed that we hadn't been exaggerating about her. Soon enough, her gaze fell on them.

"Oh, you must be Edward's friends," she said happily. "Congratulations on your engagement. Goodness, you two look perfect together. I bet your babies will be beautiful. You are planning on having kids, right? It's just sad if you're planning on keeping that monster of his wrapped even after you're married. A girl like you shouldn't let that go to waste. Now, Ronald and I knew we wanted kids. There was no protection for us and-"

Bella groaned and buried her face in my chest. "I really don't need to hear about my grandparents going at it like bunnies," she said. "Please get me out of here."

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into the living room with me without anyone noticing. Thankfully it was easy to get them distracted with wedding details. Once Bella's grandmother finished her story, they were off.

By November, Rose was no longer scared to death of color schemes, and they were well on their way to having a solid plan. I'd been told she had looked at dresses she liked, but hadn't found "the dress" yet. That was as far as my interest went. When it finally came time for my own wedding, I would help Bella with any and all of it.

"Hey, Edward?" Emmett asked out of when halftime started. We were gathered in Bella's house yet again. Thankfully, her mother was at a small "soiree" across town, so we didn't have to deal with anything from her that time.

"Yeah?" I said absently.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He seemed nervous, his hands shaking as he spoke.

"Sure," I answered. I had no idea what he could be so nervous about. Curious, I kissed the side of Bella's head, leaving her with her family as I went to go talk to my cousin. "What's up, man? You look like you're going to shit your pants."

He shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I just don't know how you're going to react," he said.

"I think as long as you haven't done anything to ruin the shop or my life with Bella, we'll be fine," I said.

"Well, it's not that bad," he answered. "I've been meaning to ask you for a while now, but I don't want you to freak out." I nodded, but waited for him to continue. "I figure you know I asked Jasper to be a groomsman. You've probably been wondering why I didn't ask you."

I shrugged. "I figured it was implied. Family sticks together, right?"

"Right. But I don't want you to be just a groomsman, man. I need a best man," he said. "Can't think of anyone better than you."

My jaw literally dropped. For years, I'd been convinced he would choose one of his work buddies as his best man. I'd been such an asshole to him and my family for so long that I had given up on being accepted into these customs. Apparently, they gave me more credit than I'd ever been worth.

"Really?" I finally blurted out.

"Well, yeah." He sighed and leaned against the wall behind him. "I can't believe you're actually making me say this…. You're like my brother, Edward. Why else do you think I put up with your shit when you went cold turkey? You introduced me to my Rosie and you're back to being a normal person now that you've got Bella. I don't know what I'd do without you at this point."

"Was that your roundabout way of saying you love me or something?" I laughed, not wanting to let the emotion overwhelm me.

"God, we sound like chicks," he laughed in response. "But seriously, will you be my best man?"

"Of course," I smiled. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be at that wedding than by your side."

"Awesome. You're the best, man."

"You know I'm not planning the fuckin' bachelor party, though, right?"

Emmett surprised me by shrugging. "Whatever. Rose has already taken that responsibility upon herself. From what I've heard, we're getting locked into my apartment with a case of beer, some porn, and an air hockey table."

I burst out laughing as I pictured a group of guys doing that for a bachelor party. "Well, at least she knows what you like," I commented.

We returned to the TV room to see a very curious Bella instantly turn to catch my attention. I smiled and shook my head to let her know it was nothing bad. She relaxed and curled into my side as I sat back down.

It was nice to relax like that, surrounded by our friends and family without having to worry about too much. That was how life should be, rather than my life before Bella. Without my parents, it was like nothing seemed to fit anymore. But since I met Bella, everything started to fall back in place.

It was a horrible thing to even think, but without losing my parents, I might never have met Bella. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. I would never forget them or what they did for me, but I couldn't imagine my life without Bella now.

At the very least, there was never a dull moment when we were together.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, we heard a gasp from the dining room. Jasper's head shot up immediately. He and I hurried into the other room, Bella following closely. We found Alice clutching her large stomach. She looked up, eyes wide.

"I think my water just broke," she whispered.

Bella squealed and hurried to help her best friend. Rose smiled and hurried to pack up her wedding plans. She tried to hide her excitement, but she soon began fussing just as much as Bella.

I, on the other hand, focused on Jasper. He'd frozen when he heard his wife.

"You gonna be okay?" I asked him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at me with the biggest smile I'd ever seen on a man's face. "I'm gonna be a dad."

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**AN: Hopefully it was worth the wait. Let me know in a review, even if you didn't like it. Ten reviews will get a teaser, fifteen will get a _better_ teaser. I already have over 1000 words written for the next chapter, so it shouldn't be nearly as long between updates.**

**Next chapter: Meet Jasper and Alice's baby and beware of the fluff. :)**

**Thanks for reading everyone!**

**-Kaylee**


	25. New Arrival

**AN: This may be the fastest turnaround time between chapters, lol. Hopefully the next one will be similar. I need to thank SwallowedxInxThexSea for being an awesome beta while she could and Frankie and ask for taking over. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing beyond the plot and new characters. Still. That won't change.**

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**Chapter 23 – New Arrival**

BPOV

When I saw Jasper and Edward race into the other room, I knew something was wrong. I hurried after them to see Alice frozen, in the dining room. Alice never stopped moving.

"I think my water just broke," she whispered.

Once that sunk in, I squealed and hurried to help her.

"Do you feel okay? Do you need anything? How fast do you need to be at the hospital?" I said quickly.

"Bella, don't worry. We've had an overnight bag packed for a week," Alice said with a laugh. "Don't freak out."

"My best friend is having her first baby and you want me to _not_ freak out?" I said.

"_Please_ don't freak out," she continued. "In about two hours or so, I'll screaming my fucking head off every ten minutes and crushing my husband's hand. I'd like to stay sane for a while."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Got it. So, we stop by your place, grab the overnight bag and head to the hospital?" I asked.

Rose stepped in then, having packed up all her things. "Wouldn't it be better if Emmett and I stopped to get the bag while the rest of you went straight there? After all, the overnight bag isn't very important until after the little one is outside your stomach."

Alice nodded. "Thank you, guys. And Bella, can you call my parents on the way?"

"You got it," I said with a smile. "Now, come on. You've got yourself a baby to push out."

Rose and I helped her move from her frozen spot before Jasper finally knocked himself out of whatever stupor he'd been stuck in. He rushed forward and scooped her up into his arms, not even letting her walk. Edward chuckled and took my hand as we headed out the door.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked. I explained what we'd decided and he just nodded.

"Emmett, come on," Rose called as we got into the living room.

"Babe, the game's not over yet," he answered, unaware of what was happening.

"I don't care. It's time to go." She stood behind him with her arms crossed. He still didn't look up.

"But, Rosie-"

"Emmett, Alice is going to have her baby. If you don't get your ass off that couch right now, I'm leaving you here and you won't get near me for a week at the least. No sex, no fun times, no nothin'. And you definitely won't be able to see the kid," Rose informed him.

His head spun around. "You can't be serious! You love those mid-morning fun times!"

"Uh, Emmet?" Edward butted in, his hand still in mine. "She's fuckin' serious. Get your ass off the couch."

Edward's big, burly cousin took a hard look at his fiancée before jumping off the couch and making great time to the door. "What are we waiting for? Let's get a move on, people!"

Rose smiled smugly before following him.

"Huh," I said thoughtfully as we all walked out. "I can't decide if he would respond better to withholding food or not."

"Food, no. Beer? Maybe," Edward responded.

I laughed until we were well on our way to the hospital.

Within the hour, the maternity ward's waiting room was full of Alice's friends and family. Joshua was avoiding his parents and so spent more time with Edward and me. The two men were getting to know one another better as I read one of Alice's baby books.

"So, do they really hurt a lot? The tattoos?" Joshua asked.

"Not as much as people make it out to," my boyfriend answered. "Once you know how it feels, it's not bad. The first few minutes are the worst while you're getting used to it."

"Right. I'll take your word for it. So, you're thinking of expanding?"

"Yeah. We've had more traffic than ever the past few months and our space is too small to keep up with it. We've been trying to think of ways to make it more appealing to other demographics."

At that point, I tuned them out. My mind was more focused on the fact that I was about to be a godmother. I knew I would end up with babysitting duty and I needed to know how to care for a baby. Never once had I babysat in high school. I had no idea what I was doing. Hopefully Jasper and Alice had read enough of the baby books by that time to know what they were doing….

"What are you thinking about?" Edward whispered, his lips grazing my ear.

"I have no idea what I'm doing," I said. "My best friend is married and in there having a kid and I'm out here scared to take that leap. I have no idea how you put up with me." (If she's a little panicky, this could be expanded upon, for a bit of a rant. It would ease into the epiphany a little bit more.)

He chuckled. "Bella, you are a wonderful woman. You're only twenty-four; you don't need to have everything figured out. Everything will still be okay if you wait a few years to start a family. I'm not going anywhere."

He trailed his finger along the charm bracelet he'd given me for my birthday. It didn't have much, but what it did have only proved exactly what he was saying. There was a B charm and an E charm, but he found a way to intertwine them. I wasn't about to take them apart. There was a rose that reminded me so much of the tattoo design he'd drawn. But the one my eye was drawn to was the simple, engraved ring.

It reminded me that nothing needed to be elaborate to be worthy. Nothing needed to be extravagant to have a deep meaning. The inscription – "Always Yours" – was perfect and it didn't need any explanation. It perfectly defined our relationship.

I looked up at Edward and pressed a gentle kiss on his lips. "You are amazing, do you know that?"

He smiled, but didn't respond. "I think I want to get that tattoo soon," he finally said. "Now that Rose is a little calmer, I can trust her to do it."

"I can't wait to see it," I said. "It'll be beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled as I laid my head in his lap to rest. Listening to my friends and family, and having Edward so close, I fell asleep quickly. When I woke up, Edward was running his fingers gently through my hair.

"Hey," he said quietly. Looking around, I noticed the others had fallen asleep while waiting.

"Hey. How long was I out?" I asked, stretching a bit.

"A few hours. I slept for a while too, but you kept moving around and that woke me up."

"How's Alice doing? Do we know?"

Before he could answer, Jasper emerged from the hallway, snuggling a small, blue bundle. His face was beaming and he couldn't take his eyes off his newborn son. I hurried over, selfishly not waking anyone else up as I went to meet my godson.

"Hey," I said when I got close enough.

My friend finally looked up, still beaming. "Hey, Bella," he said. He glanced back down at the bundle in his arms, as if to make sure it was still there. "Meet your godson. Alexander Matthew Whitlock."

I smiled and looked down at the boy. His little face was scrunched up as he snuggled into his blanket, trying to get comfortable. I gently touched his cheek with the back of my finger and he looked right at me. His gray eyes shone just like his mother's as he looked right up at me. His tiny hand reached up to grasp my finger.

That moment sealed my plans for the future. I saw an image of Edward in this position holding a small boy with a small tuft of bronze hair and deep brown eyes. It was a beautiful sight that I hoped would come true one day.

"He's beautiful," Edward whispered.

I looked up to see my boyfriend looking between me and the newborn. He had a sweet, tender expression on his face. He was thinking along the same lines I was.

Edward had mentioned us starting a family once or twice and I knew he was excited about the idea. That meant marriage was on both our minds, but he'd avoided mentioning anything about that too often.

After James, I wasn't sure I could handle another engagement. Seeing how he changed after the engagement was announced was like watching a switch being flipped. He instantly became a different person. Logically, I knew that would never happen with Edward. He loved me and did everything he could to treat me with respect. But some tiny part of me in the back of my mind was scared that it could happen again. I didn't want that.

Seeing his face as little Alexander clutched my finger, though, solidified the thought that Edward would never react like James. He would never be the ultimate dictator in the relationship. He would hold my opinion in high regard, rather than only showing me off as a trophy.

I loved Edward. I trusted him. And I wanted to be his wife.

I was pulled back to the present by a small whimper from the little boy in my friend's arms. He pulled away from me and curled further into Jasper's chest. It was a beautiful sight.

"He's going to be the most selfish kid ever," I said. "No one's going to want to put him down."

Jasper chuckled, trying not to shake his son. "You're right. I need to get him back to Ali. She only got to hold him for a few minutes before they cleaned him off."

"Yes, go. We'll let everyone know that you're okay. Go give your son back to his momma," I said, pushing him back toward Alice's room.

Edward wrapped his arms around me as we watched our friend walk away.

"He looks so happy," I said.

"That he does. But he'll start getting gray hairs pretty quick," Edward said. "As soon as he starts losing sleep."

I smirked and looked up at him. "All that means is that we can offer to babysit and spoil the hell out of him."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "You're going to be the best aunt," he said. Then he lowered his voice to say the next part. "And you're going to be the best mother one day."

My smile softened. "You're going to be a wonderful father someday too. I just know it."

We walked back to the waiting room to see that the others had woken up. Rosalie, Emmett, and Joshua were sitting in the corner, talking quietly. Alice's parents were reading a magazine about renovations. Jasper's parents were talking between themselves. Joshua noticed us first.

"Hey, where'd you two get off to?"

"Jasper came out," I said simply, but my smile was sure to give me away.

"And you didn't wake us up?" he asked, glaring at me.

"You guys were all tired. Besides, he could only come out for a few seconds. We didn't want to scare the poor kid by all crowding around Jasper and fighting for attention."

"Is Alice alright?" her mother asked.

"Jasper said she's perfectly fine, but I doubt she's going to put that kid down anytime soon," Edward said with a chuckle.

They tried to get us to give them hints about the gender and name of the baby, but we wouldn't budge. We knew Alice and Jasper wanted it to be a surprise for everyone. I wouldn't have been surprised if there was a bet set up.

Eventually, Jasper came back out and told us that we could go visit. Edward and I held back, letting the others get in and finally figure out the mystery. We all crowded into the room, though Emmett and Rosalie stood by the wall with Edward and me to let the family have their time together.

"Everyone, meet baby Xander," Alice said, beaming.

"What's his full name?" her mother asked as she studied her grandson.

"Alexander Matthew Whitlock," Jasper said proudly.

Everyone took turns cooing over both Alice and little Xander. I was right; that boy would be spoiled.

I looked over to Edward's friends. Rose was wrapped in Emmett's arms as she gazed longingly at the scene in front of her. It was clear that she wanted to be the one holding a tiny bundle of joy. Judging by the way Emmett held and comforted her, he wanted the same thing. It was sweet to see them when they weren't about to rip each other's clothes off.

Eventually, Alice started yawning and we could all see her eyes start to droop. It was rare to see her lacking energy, but no one could fault her in that situation. We all said our goodbyes and left quickly, leaving the new parents alone with their son.

I spent that night at Edward's. We threw in a movie, but barely watched any of it. Edward had other things on his mind. When he finished showing me how much I meant to him, we lay together in his bed.

"You were beautiful today," he said. "Seeing you with Xander was amazing."

I shrugged and traced random lines over his torso. "It's not a big deal."

"It really is. You're going to be a wonderful mother one day. I can't believe that you will be anything less than loving, caring, and perfect for the job," he said, lifting my chin to look me in the eyes. "You're nothing like your mother. No child will ever accuse you of forcing your plans on them. You are amazing, baby. Don't ever forget that."

"Thank you," I smiled, kissing him gently.

I fell asleep that night envisioning Edward playfully chasing around two little boys and a little girl who all looked like a mix of the two of us.

"Bella!" Alice called to me from across the room. "Thank god. Can you take Xander for a little while?"

It had been almost a month since they took baby Alexander home from the hospital. We were all getting ready for Emmett and Rose's wedding after New Year's as well as Christmas in just a few days. Honestly, I couldn't fathom how we could have more to do.

"Of course," I said, holding my arms out for the sleeping newborn.

She passed him to me, heaving a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I need to help Rose and I need both hands. He should be fine for a while; I already fed him and changed him recently. But try not to let him sleep too long. It's Jasper's night to take care of him, but it doesn't matter. We need him to sleep when we sleep. The boy just wants his own schedule and-"

I put one hand on her shoulder – definitely making sure that Xander was well supported. "Ali, sweetie, take a breath. I can handle one sleeping little boy while you help Rose. Go."

She nodded and hurried off. I chuckled and looked down at the boy in my arms.

"Your mommy's a little nutty, huh, baby boy?" I whispered with a soft chuckle. I kissed his forehead.

Within a few minutes, I realized that there was no way those two would be free for another few hours. I let them know that I would meet them over at Twilight, since it was only a few stores down. They teased me about Edward as I left. I responded in kind by sticking out my tongue.

Xander woke up on the walk over, cooing and clawing at my shirt. I chuckled and repositioned him. He continued clawing at my shirt, looking for even more attention. I tickled his tiny tummy as I walked into the shop, causing him to squirm and gurgle in pleasure.

"Hey, Bella," Pete said when he saw me. "Aw, is that your friends' kid? Edward was telling me about that."

"Yep, this is the little guy," I said, bouncing him in my arms.

"You look great with him," Pete said with a smile.

"Am I hallucinating or do I hear a little kid out here?" Edward asked as he came out from the back room. His face brightened when he saw me. "Hey, baby." He came over and kissed me before saying hi to the baby in my arms.

"Hey," I said with a smile. "I didn't want to be stuck with Alice and Rose in wedding mode for three hours. I decided to take the little guy on a trip to visit my favorite tattoo parlor in the city."

"This better be the only one you even go to," he said, mock-seriously.

"Well, it just so happens that this one has a seriously hot tattoo artist that I happen to have a thing for," I teased.

"Well, I guess that explains a lot," he sighed dramatically. "You tell him he's a lucky man."

"You too are sickening," Pete said.

"I've seen you with Danielle, man. You two are no better than teenagers after prom," Edward threw back.

"Yeah, yeah," the younger man grumbled as he flipped open his phone. A stupid grin appeared on his face, so the text must have been from Danielle. Then he glanced up at my boyfriend. "Don't say it."

Edward just smirked before turning his attention back to me and the baby in my arms. "God, you look beautiful," he said as I smiled down at Xander.

"It's just me with a baby, Edward," I said, cocking an eyebrow at him. I walked over to the couch in the waiting area and set my godson down and knelt next to him. "It's not like I look any different than usual."

"Yes, you do," he insisted. "You look so happy, Bella. When I met you, you were a completely different person. You acted happy, but I could tell you weren't. Since you broke away from your mother's wishes, you've really looked happy. It's amazing. Being with you during this has been amazing. Seeing you now with Xander, it only makes me want to give you everything like that. You were born for this kind of a life and I want you to have it."

I sighed as he wrapped his arms around me from behind. "You're such a cheeseball," I muttered. "What happened to that carefree badass who saved me that night?"

Edward chuckled in my ear and his voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Oh, he'll come out to play with you, baby. But for now, you'll have to settle for the good twin."

I looked up at him and smiled. "I think I'll manage."

I spent the next few hours distracting Xander from missing his mommy. It was hard for a one-month-old to be too far away from his mother. I did my best to keep him occupied, but every half hour or so he would start crying. I changed his diaper once, but after that I knew he was hungry. He was too young to have anything we could find and Alice failed to pack a bottle. Edward tried to calm him down too, talking softly to him about how "amazing your Auntie Bella is" and how special he was. It helped for a while, but until I started singing to him, nothing really helped.

Finally, Alice and Rosalie strode in. my best friend hurried over and snatched her son right out of my arms.

"Hey, baby boy!" she cooed, kissing all over his face. He gurgled in happiness, but clutched at her shirt as he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. "Oh, no. I forgot to pack a bottle, didn't I? Edward, do you mind if I…"

"Oh, sure. Uh, you can use the back room if you want," he said, showing her the way.

I sighed and sat back in the couch. "Thank god. I don't know if I could take him crying again," I said.

"You and me both. I think even Pete wanted to learn about child care," Edward said.

"Oh, come on. It couldn't have been that bad," Rose scoffed. "The two of you are frickin' naturals." It was obvious she was a little bitter about how we handled Xander at the hospital while she and Emmett were skittish.

"Rose, when you hear his little cry, you will do everything you can to make it stop," he said as he sat next to me. "It's heartbreaking."

"Oh my god," she exclaimed. "I can't believe I didn't see this before. You have officially handed in your man card."

"Hey, that's not fair. Just because of one remark?"

"Bella tattled about your cheesy lines, mister. You're in the negatives now."

I focused on my hands as Edward's head whipped around to face me. Picking sides in this fight would not end well. I was already dreading a night without Edward – thanks to my mother demanding a real family dinner – and I didn't want him to be mad at me. Also, I'd already confessed to Rosalie, so I couldn't deny that without serious consequences.

"I guess I can deal with that as long as you don't want me to give up the physical proof," he laughed.

"No, I was thinking you don't even deserve that anymore," Rose replied.

I laughed as Edward's jaw dropped. I could tell Rose was joking, but Edward obviously feared for his masculinity. "Come on, Rose. I thought you wanted me to get laid," I said, trying not to laugh as Edward's face contorted further in surprise. "That thing you want to get rid of just happens to be my best chance at that."

Rosalie narrowed her eyes at us before sighing in defeat. "Fine, whatever. But don't come crying to me when it shrivels up and falls off on its own. And Bella? It's not a 'thing'; it's a cock. Say it with me…"

"I know what it is, Rose," I snapped. "Just because I don't feel like saying it among present company, doesn't mean I am incapable of saying it."

"Just once?"

"Forget it, Rose."

"Party pooper," she whined before going to help Pete with inventory.

"Thank you for defending my honor," Edward said.

"You're lucky I love you," I teased.

"Mmm, I'm a very lucky man indeed," he said, kissing my cheek.

Leaving Edward to go home that night was hard. It might have sounded incredibly pathetic, but I wanted to spend every second with him and I resented my mother for demanding Edward-free family time.

My mother never warmed up to Edward. In the months that we'd been together, Edward and I worked around my mother to spend time with the rest of my family. When I started spending more time with the man I loved, my mother finally started trying to be a positive part of my life. I hoped she would finally accept Edward, but she was dead set against him no matter what he did.

"Isabella," she said excitedly when I finally got home.

"You knew I was coming home. It's not like I've been gone that long," I said, rolling my eyes.

I might have still held a grudge about her hating Edward.

"I haven't seen you in two days," she said, kissing my cheek. "Is it a sin to want to see my daughter?"

_Only when you drag me away from the love of my life_, I thought. I shrugged in response to my mother.

"Go get changed before your grandparents get here," she said, turning to go back to the kitchen. "Lord knows you don't want to shock your grandmother by wearing those god awful clothes."

So now jeans and a graphic tee were off limits in the house. Good to know.

I changed into a simple cotton sundress – possibly a bad idea considering the weather – before heading back downstairs. My grandparents had already shown up.

"Bella, dear!" Gran greeted me with a hug and a smile.

"Hey Gran," I said, trying to smile and turning to my grandfather. "Grampy."

"Still beautiful, as ever," he said, kissing the top of my head. "I presume your other half looks a bit down himself, hmm?"

"I would imagine so. And if he's not constantly checking his phone, I'd be very surprised," I laughed.

"Oh, goodness, are you still making that boy chase after you? Cut him some slack and let him catch you. A good roll in the hay would do you both some good."

"Mother! Stop filling her head with ridiculous fantasies. It's just a crush and she'll realize he's nothing soon enough," my own mother said happily as she led us all to the dining room.

"She'll come around soon," Dad said, setting his arms around my shoulders.

I gave him a small smile, but we both knew I didn't believe him.

The night went a bit better than I expected. My mother was civil whenever anyone brought up Edward, but would always change the subject as quickly as she could. I swear she was getting even more self centered and afraid of change as the years went on. She needed to start living in the real world.

I'd forgotten that it was my parents' anniversary that week. They insisted we make a toast, but of course my mother would pull out the wine I refused to drink. The only time I tasted it, I was sick for a week. Once was enough. Thankfully, she remembered and brought me a glass of whatever else they had open. It tasted a little off to me, but after a dinner including a jubilee of different spices and seasonings, anything else could taste a little off.

By the time I finally escaped, I was exhausted. I took my time going through my nightly routine and took a long, soothing shower. That seemed to help put me to sleep even further.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Edward's number as I settled in for the night.

"Hey, baby," he answered cheerfully. "I was wondering when you'd call."

"Sorry, I decided to get ready for bed first. I had planned on a quick shower, but it just felt so good," I said.

"Don't apologize. It's fine, Bella. How was your mom?"

"Still plotting against you as far as I'm concerned. The bitch just needs to get over herself and realize that you're amazing."

"When she realizes that you love me, she'll come around," he assured me.

"Does she not understand that _now_? Have I not made it completely obvious?"

"She obviously doesn't see what we have. But she will, I promise."

I sighed and looked at the drawing from _The Little Mermaid _he'd given me so long ago. I finally understood what it was like to take that freeing breath. Edward did that for me.

"I love you, Edward," I said quietly. "I just wanted you to know that."

"I do know, baby. And I love you too. So much. Now get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow," he said sweetly.

"Night, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella. I love you."

"Love you too."

It didn't take me long to fall asleep after I hung up the phone. Talking to Edward made me feel safe. Nothing mattered beyond how he felt for me. If he were to propose to me tomorrow, I felt I was finally ready to say yes. He was my life now.

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**AN: Good? Shitty? Let me know in a review! Double digits gets a teaser as always.**

**Next chapter: Surprise!**

**There are only a few more chapters left, guys. One more of each POV and an epilogue. Keep that in mind. :)**

**-Kaylee**


	26. The Liar and the Girl With the Broken

**AN: School is ridiculous. I've written three papers in the last two weeks and read about four books. My brain is fried... But I have a chapter for you! Thanks to Frankie for being an awesome beta and doing this for me even when she had a shitload of work to do too, lol. And thank you to all of the readers who keep coming back even though I can't seem to post chapters in a reasonable amount of time. You guys are the best. :D**

**Disclaimer: My name looks nothing like "Stephenie Meyer." I don't own anything she owns. I figured that would be clear by now...**

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**Chapter 24 – The Liar and the Girl with the Broken Thumb**

EPOV

Bella was not looking forward to spending the evening with her family, least of all her mother. She was finally getting used to having her grandparents around all the time, even if Eleanor was still dropping hints about our sex life. It was weird, but expected at that point.

I decided to pay my aunt and uncle a visit that night as well. It was deemed a break from wedding planning by all parties involved. There was less than a week until Christmas and people had some shopping to do. We really just needed a break from pastel colors and baby's breath.

"Edward!" Aunt Esme greeted me as she opened the door. "What a surprise! Where's Bella?"

I shrugged, but hugged my aunt. "Forced home for the night by her mother for dinner. Apparently, her mother hasn't gotten enough time with her lately."

"Well, she has been attached to your hips for quite a while now," she laughed.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I answered with a smile.

"Ah, Edward," Carlisle said, coming out of the living room. "I thought I heard your voice. What's this about Bella not being with you tonight? That's rather odd."

"No one could convince Renee to let me have dinner with them, I guess. That woman still hates me for some reason."

"Hopefully she'll come around when she realizes that Bella won't give you up," Esme said with a smile. "Now come on. I know you haven't eaten. I made more than enough to feed you tonight."

It was nice to just visit with my family. Shutting people out for so long really took its toll on me – and everyone around me for that matter. My aunt was thrilled whenever I showed her even the slightest bit of attention. Uncle Carlisle just seemed happy to have me around again. He didn't need to show affection or interrogate me about my life to show that he cared.

Also, not having Emmett and Rosalie there as well was a nice reprieve from all the wedding planning sessions. Having a nice, quiet dinner with my aunt and uncle was something I needed to do more often.

It was hours before Bella finally called. She obviously couldn't escape early. It seemed odd that she would be so tired after a simple dinner with her family, but I didn't question it. Everyone was entitled to a night of exhaustion.

I would have liked to talk to her for longer that night, but after a while it was obvious that she needed sleep. I made sure to tell her that I love her and that I'd see her the next day. She sleepily replied with the same and ended the call.

The next morning dawned earlier than I preferred. The plan was for me to work in the morning doing mostly inventory while Rose took the later shift; that way I could have the night alone with Bella and Rose and Emmett could spend their morning in bed. At least, that was what I could get out of Rose's explanation. It was probably much more detailed, but I didn't need to know about all that.

I called Bella's phone as I went through the motions of opening the shop for the day. After a few rings, I heard Bella's voice say, "Hey, you've reached Bella. Obviously. Uh, you can…"

Sighing, I closed my phone. She probably wasn't awake yet. I'd try back again later, or maybe she would just call me when she got up. She really did sound exhausted when I talked to her on the phone.

Pete joined me at Twilight about an hour later. I'd thrown myself into the inventory check to force myself to think of something other than Bella. I didn't want to be one of those guys that couldn't spend any time away from his girl. We both needed _some_ time to ourselves.

Throughout the morning, I kept checking my phone, but she never called back. Pete noticed my frustration after a while.

"Dude, what the hell is wrong?"

I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. "Bella said she'd call me when she woke up. She's never been one to not call when she says she will. I called when I came in this morning, but I figured she was still asleep when she didn't answer. Now I'm starting to get worried."

"Maybe her psycho mom is just freaking out on her or something," he suggested. "Just calm down and try to call her again. And maybe leave a message if she doesn't pick up?"

"You're right," I said. "I'm just overreacting. It's probably nothing."

I whipped out my phone, double checking that I hadn't missed a call or a text from her, and dialed her number again. Disappointment crept in when I got her voicemail again. I left a quick message for her to call me back and tried to do some more work.

When Rose came in for her shift, I was still in a state of lethargic frustration.

"Where's everyone's favorite half-dolphin and why do you look like someone ran over your puppy?" she demanded.

"Bella's not answering her phone…"

"He's been moping all day," Pete added as he wiped down the counter.

"But Bella always answers for you. Like, it's creepy how quickly she answers for you," she said. "Why the hell is she not picking up?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be freaking out, would I?" I snapped.

Rosalie sighed and sat next to me. "Edward, it's going to be fine. I'm sure it's nothing. Why don't you just stop by her house later or something? That way, if she's not there, Charlie can tell her when she gets back. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if that bitch just stole her phone or something and dragged her out of the house for the day."

"You're probably right. I'm just freaking out about nothing. Damn, she's probably going to think I'm smothering her or something," I chuckled quietly.

"Damn right, she is. Now, go talk to her dad and get your mopey self out of my sight," she said, practically pushing me out the door. "You make me sick!"

"Like you wouldn't be freaked out if Emmett stopped responding to you all of a sudden," I countered as I headed out.

"Touché," she laughed.

I tried not to freak out as I headed over to Bella's. There had to be a logical, simple, _harmless_ explanation for her not responding. I couldn't start jumping to conclusions and worrying about worst-case scenarios right away. She didn't need me smothering her if she just forgot her phone at home or something.

"Edward," Charlie said as he answered the door, obviously surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to check what Bella was up to," I said. "She said she'd call me at some point today, but she never answered her phone. We were supposed to hang out tonight."

"That's really weird," he said. "Renee said Bella was spending the whole day with you."

My brow furrowed. "I've been at work all day."

He shrugged. "Maybe she heard wrong. But that's definitely not like Bella to not answer her phone. Here, why don't you go upstairs and check her room. Maybe she left it somewhere on accident."

I gave him a small smile before heading up to her room. Her phone was nowhere to be seen. But what I did find shocked me.

Sitting on her bedside table, where the drawing I'd given her usually sat, was an envelope with my name on the front. Curious, I opened it. I pulled out a letter, noting that there was something else in the envelope. I looked inside and gasped when I saw the drawing folded up. Remembering the letter, I quickly opened it in the hopes that it would explain why she would ever want to give it back to me.

_Edward,_

_I refuse to do this anymore. This charade needs to end. We both know this was never meant to be. I have finally come to accept that. You need to as well. It was fun while it lasted, but everything must come to an end._

_I have met someone else. He is a wonderful man who can provide for me. He will be able to give me everything that I need and I will never worry about not having everything. You could never do that for me._

_Please understand that you will always mean something as the man that saved me. However, I will never know you as the man I loved._

_Truly,_

_Bella_

I stumbled into her bed, stunned by the words I read. It couldn't be true. I refused to believe it. There had to be some kind of mistake.

Reading through it again, I knew it was her handwriting. There was no arguing that. But it sounded nothing like the Bella I knew, the Bella I loved.

"No," I whispered to the empty room. "She didn't write this."

I pulled out the drawing and carefully left it unfolded on the bedside table. The frame was missing, but the drawing still belonged there. I wouldn't take it with me.

The letter was still taunting me. I stuffed it in my pocket, but the words still pulled at me.

_I will never know you as the man I loved._

Shaking my head, I hurried down the stairs. Charlie was waiting in the living room.

"Find anything?" he asked.

"Not what I expected."

"What do y-"

"Where's Renee?" I asked.

"At some spa weekend with the girls. I didn't bother asking too many questions," he said, confused once again.

I swore softly and ran my hands through my hair. "Listen, I need to go check on something, but if you see Bella, can you please tell her to call me?"

"Of course," he said immediately. "What's going on, Edward?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "But I need to find out."

I rushed out of there before he could ask me anything else. There was only one other place I could think of that she would escape to, so I headed to Alice and Jasper's. As I knocked on the door, I silently prayed that I wouldn't wake little Xander from a nap or cause any unnecessary worry for Alice.

Thankfully, Jasper answered the door.

"Hey," he said, sounding just as surprised as Charlie had. "Where's Bella?"

"Damn it," I hissed. "Well, that answers one question. She's not here. You haven't seen her today?"

"No, man. I haven't heard from her since yesterday afternoon. Neither has Ali as far as I know."

"Do you think you could ask her? She's not napping or anything, right?"

"Sure, yeah, she's just trying to keep Xander from breaking everything in the place," he chuckled. "Ali, Edward's here!"

Seconds later, Alice came out holding her son in her arms. He had gotten bigger since the last time I saw him, but he was still so small.

"What's up, Edward? I thought Bella said you were supposed to have a dinner date tonight," she said.

"Well, so did I," I said bitterly. "The only problem is, that doesn't seem to be in the plan right now…" I sighed and tried to gain my composure. I really didn't need to get angry around the baby.

"What are you talking about?" Jasper asked.

I pulled the paper out of my pocket and held it out to him like it was on fire. "Read this. It seems to explain everything."

He cocked an eyebrow and quickly scanned through the words. His scowl deepened as he read through it again before looking up at me.

"This is a 'Dear John' letter," he stated. I nodded, unable to answer any other way. "This is a 'Dear John' letter for _you_. From _Bella_."

"So I gathered," I snapped.

Alice quickly rushed into the other room with Xander while I glared at the floor, coming back a minute later with just a baby monitor and closing the door behind her. Then she exploded.

"What do you mean she's breaking up with you? She didn't talk to anyone about this! She fucking loves you more than the fucking sun! The Bella I know would never do this!"

"Then you read the letter and you explain it to me," I challenged her.

She snatched it away from her husband and quickly read through it. Her shoulders relaxed as she finished. "She didn't write it."

"What?" Jasper asked, stunned.

"Bella did not write this letter," she repeated. "Sure, it's her handwriting and whatever, but she didn't write it. She loves Edward and God knows she never talks like this. She did not write it."

"Good," I said. "I was hoping I wasn't imagining things."

Alice looked at me oddly for a few seconds before nodding. "I see you've gotten over whatever insecurities had your balls in an inaccessible jar for three years."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Alice."

"So, if Bella didn't write this, who did?" Jasper asked, getting back to the matter at hand.

"I don't care," I replied. "I would rather know where she is and that she's okay before I start worrying about who is sabotaging us."

"I hate to admit it, but this whole scheme stinks of Renee and James," he said. "They were almost attached at the hip after the engagement was announced. They planned everything and forced Bella to come along."

"I don't care if he's your brother, man. If he's done something to her, I'm going to fucking kill him," I seethed.

Jasper nodded, obviously agreeing with my anger. "I'll be right there with you."

Alice scoffed. "Men. Always taking it way too far. You don't have to kill him. You just need to rip off his dick and chop it up into tiny pieces while he watches. Then you let him go and let him suffer whenever he wants to ruin some other girl's life."

I cocked an eyebrow as I watched her sit there, calmly sending a text. "Remind me to never get on your bad side." I pulled out my phone, checking it again just in case Bella happened to get back to me. Of course, there was nothing. I sighed and tried to reign in my anger. "Jasper, I need to find her. You can come with me if you want, but I'm going to see that piece of filth you're related to."

As I headed out, I heard Alice assuring her husband that she would have Emmett and Rosalie look around town for her. A few seconds later, Jasper fell into step beside me.

"We'll take my car," he said. "It's easier than giving you directions while you're like this."

"Fine," I said.

While we were in the car, I decided to call Bella's phone again, just in case. She didn't pick up. I let her voicemail message play through so that I could hear her voice. It was pathetic, but I didn't care. When the beep sounded in my ear, I knew I needed to say something. Even if she never heard it, it was the only way I had of communicating with her at that moment.

"Bella… I love you. I can't lose you. Please come back to me," I said before closing my phone yet again.

"We'll find her, man," Jasper insisted. "We have to."

I nodded, but couldn't say anything.

When we finally pulled up to James' apartment building, my entire body tensed. I spent the last three years hating everyone like James. Every time Bella came to me complaining about one of these guys, I wanted to take her away from all of it. She didn't deserve the treatment she got from those assholes. But now that I finally had her – and she was _happy_ with _me_ – someone was trying to ruin that too.

I wanted to beat the shit out of something, and James seemed to be the most likely candidate at the moment.

"What do you want?" James said when he answered the door. "It's late and I'm busy."

We were clearly interrupting something. He was only in a pair of boxers and his hair was thoroughly mussed. I would have gone with a more innocent conclusion if I didn't see two girls moving around further inside.

"Where's Bella?" Jasper asked, getting right to the point.

"Isabella? The bitch that dumped me for this piece of trash?" he answered, gesturing to me. I glared at him, but somehow managed not to hit him.

"Yes, Bella. My best friend. Where is she?"

"I haven't seen her since your wife's party. I thought she was too attached to the hobo to let him go. I'm not sure what she ever saw in you, pal, but she must have finally gotten tired of you and moved on to better things. Lord knows she'll spread her legs for anything if she did for _you_," he sneered. "Maybe she'll come to her senses and realize she should have married me when she had the chance. Now she'll just be a whore for the rest – What the _fuck_?"

Listening to him talk about her like that reminded me just how much I really hated him, despite the fact that I'd never officially met him until the party. But knowing that was how he really acted was just too much. My anger boiled over and I launched my right fist into his face.

My only regrets were that I hadn't done it sooner and that I couldn't do it again

Jasper rolled his eyes, but pushed me back away from his brother. "Calm down, man. If you keep that up, we'll never find out where she is. Let me handle it."

"Fuck, Jasper," James sputtered, clutching his nose. I hadn't broken it, but it still had to be pretty painful. "How can you associate with a piece of shit like him?"

"First of all, he's been through more in his life than anyone I know, so he's entitled to lash out every now and again. Second of all, he's a better guy than you'll ever be. And lastly, Bella loves him and he loves her just as much, if not more. I'd say that's good enough," he said calmly. "Now that we've got that out of the way, are you going to tell us where she is?"

"I told you. I haven't seen her. I think Renee mentioned something about taking her to meet one of my old college buddies, though, Laurent Braddock. He's into some pretty kinky shit, from what I've heard. Why don't you just talk to Renee before you flip your shit?"

"She happens to be out of town at the moment," I hissed. "How convenient."

James shrugged as well as he could while he made sure his nose was still functioning. I saw a trickle of blood heading for his top lip and I smiled to myself. "Well, keep me out of it. My hands are clean of that bitch. She was frigid then; it's amazing she's putting out now. Someone else can deal with her."

I pushed passed Jasper and aimed another punch at James' face. It connected perfectly over his eye. I rammed him into the wall behind him.

"Don't ever talk about her that way again," I said, my voice icily calm. "She is a wonderful woman and she deserves more than anyone can ever give her. You are just a no-good, egocentric rich kid who will never appreciate anything you have. Stay away from her or I will come back for you."

He looked stunned. I had no way of knowing if he took my threat to heart or not, but I knew I needed to back off.

"I'll be at the car," I said, walking past Jasper.

He nodded and stayed to talk to his brother, giving me time to gain control. I needed to keep a level head in order to get through this. I paced in front of the building as I tried to sort through my thoughts.

I couldn't lose Bella like I lost my parents. I couldn't deal with that.

Visions of that night passed through my mind.

"_Edward, when are you going to find a nice girl and settle down?" my mother asked with a laugh. "This job you plan on getting is great, but you need a family."_

"_Give him time, Lizzie. He's still in college. Let him have his fun," Dad responded._

"_I'm going to pretend that you two aren't fighting over how I'm living my life right now," I said, rolling my eyes and trying to get comfortable in the back seat._

"_Hey! I'm on your side," Dad argued._

"_You know we just want you to be happy," Mom said._

"_I feel like I'm in the middle of an afterschool special or something…"_

_I felt the car jerk as Dad tried to avoid the other car, but the subsequent crash was inevitable. My head smacked into the top of my seat and I felt the debris of the broken window scratch across my face._

_When the spinning in my head finally let up and I was able to look around, my stomach dropped._

"_Mom? Dad?"_

_I could see their figures in front of me, but the dashboard seemed much too close to their bodies._

"_No…"_

_Nonsensical words fell from my mouth as I tried to get out of my seatbelt. I tried calling to my parents, needing them to answer me. Finally, I got free and scrambled forward._

_One look was all I needed to know they were gone, but I couldn't admit it._

"_Please," I muttered as I looked between them. "No…"_

"Edward?" Jasper's voice knocked me out of my memory.

"I'm fine," I assured him, forcefully wiping a tear off my cheek. "Did he say anything else important?"

He shrugged. "He hasn't seen her since the party. He saw Renee once last week and they talked for a little while, but she was on her way to get her hair done. It couldn't have been more than a three-minute conversation. I really don't think he has anything to do with it."

He flexed his hand as we made our way over to his car. I smirked.

"Where'd you get him?" I asked.

Jasper looked sheepish as he started the car. "He may not be able to see well for about a week," he muttered.

"Good," I said, nodding. "He deserved it."

"Damn right, he did," he said. "What are we going to do now? All we have is a name," he added after a while.

For a while, I didn't answer. Then I thought of something.

"That's all we need," I said finally, "but we can't do anything until tomorrow. It's too late tonight."

He nodded. "It's fine. I'm sure she's okay. We'll find her, Edward."

I nodded, but couldn't find the will to respond to him.

Alice was pacing around the room when we walked in. She had her son in her arms as she tried to stay calm. I sighed and took Xander from her as I passed her. I needed something to take my mind off Bella, and Jasper and Alice deserved some alone time.

"Come on, little guy," I whispered. "You need to see someone other than your momma for now."

I took him into the mock-nursery they'd formed out of their old office. It seemed like Xander had everything his little heart could ever desire. I grabbed the stuffed animal from his crib that looked the most worn so far. It was a little lion cub that was softer than most of the baby blankets I'd seen lying around.

"I had a bear when I was your age," I said, teasing the baby in my arms with the lion cub. "I carried that thing everywhere and wouldn't let it go. I called him Ba since I couldn't pronounce the word bear for a long time." I smiled and watched Xander's little arms clasp around the lion's neck when I put it within reach. "My momma made the mistake of letting me take him outside once and he got all dirty. When she tried to wash him, I wouldn't let him go. I thought she wanted to take him away. She knelt down in front of me and told me that when she gave him back to me, he'd be perfect again. She didn't understand that he was still perfect to me, but it didn't matter. She just wanted to keep me healthy. So when your momma wants to clean your lion, trust her. She'll always bring him back."

The little boy in my arms stared up at me in wonder. He reached out to touch my face, so I leaned closer. His fingers covered half my eye as his palm covered my cheek. As I watched, his face became more peaceful as he fell asleep, his hand slowly falling from my face.

"I want you to have a little cousin," I whispered. "I want you to have someone to play with and teach and protect. I want you to be able to know your Aunt Bella. She deserves to see you grow and to spoil you more than your parents want. She should get to see you grow up." I leaned down and kissed the top of his little head. "She should be here with me. She shouldn't be taken away from what makes her happy when she's barely had time to experience it. It's not fair."

I sat down in the rocking chair in the nursery after I put Xander in his crib and watched as he curled his body around the stuffed animal. I couldn't bear to go home then and I didn't want to impose on Jasper and Alice too much. They deserved to have the time to themselves rather than having to worry about me.

The rocking chair was comfortable enough. I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back, closing my eyes.

Two hours later, I woke with a start, sweating and panting. Sleep was not going to happen again that night. Worst case scenarios of where Bella could be played on a loop in my dreams. There was nothing I could do for her in any of them.

Taking controlled breaths, I leaned over and held my head in my hands. I couldn't let my emotions take over. Yes, I was scared for Bella and about what she could be going through. But if I started freaking out, so would everyone else and our chances of finding her dropped fast. I needed to stay calm.

Before I knew it, I heard Alice and Jasper moving around in the living room. They must have gotten Xander out of his crib and everything without me noticing. I stretched, feeling my muscles protest my uncomfortable sleeping position.

They both looked up as I walked in the room.

"No hope that this is all a bad dream and she's just in the bathroom, huh?" I asked with a weak smile. They both fumbled for a good answer and I nodded. "Yeah, I kind of figured."

"We'll find her, Edward," Alice said. "We have to."

"Rose and Emmett called last night to say they hadn't seen her and neither had the guys at New Moon Pizza, but everyone's on the lookout for anything," Jasper said. "The police can't do anything at this point, but we'll find her before they need to."

"I'm going to see Charlie," I said, standing up abruptly. I needed to get out of there. I needed to do something.

Jasper nodded. "We'll meet you over there in a little while."

I hurried over to Bella's house, almost getting excited before I remembered that she wouldn't be there. By the time I knocked on the door, I was worse off than before. Charlie looked about the same when he opened the door.

"I take it you still haven't seen her either," he said.

I shook my head and he sighed, letting me in. nothing in the house had changed, but it felt different to me, foreign and cold.

"Any idea what's going on yet?" he asked.

I pulled the letter out of my pocket and handed it to him. "This was waiting for me in Bella's room yesterday. There's no way she could have written it, but someone wants me to believe she's gone."

He skimmed through the letter quickly. "No. This isn't Bella. This is something Renee would do, but not Bella. She loves you too much to ever give you up."

"Have you heard from Renee at all?"

"No, but that's not unusual when she takes off like this. Why? Do you think she might have something to do with this?"

"I have to at least consider it," I said. "Think of how often she's tried to convince Bella to let me go. She is so set on getting Bella married off to a spoiled rich kid that she won't even look twice at me."

He nodded. "I was hoping she would come around, but it doesn't seem like that will ever happen. I'm sorry, son. I don't believe she has anything to do with this, but I will agree that she will never like you."

"Well, right now it's between her and some guy named Laurent Braddock," I said.

"How do you know Braddock?"

"I don't. Jasper and I went to see James last night and he mentioned the name. He said Renee had mentioned something about introducing him to Bella."

Charlie swore loudly. "Renee is insane for ever thinking that," he said through clenched teeth. "That man is scum. Worse than scum. I can't even come up with a proper word to describe him. I don't want my daughter anywhere near him."

"What are you talking about?"

"From what I've heard, he's involved in some bad stuff."

I nodded. "Yeah, James mentioned something about him being a little… adventurous."

Charlie scoffed. "That's putting it lightly. I've listened to him talk about business deals he's made. From the sounds of it… he's involved in human trafficking."

My jaw dropped. "What? No."

"Yes. That is why we can't let this go any further if he's involved."

"Right. Okay. I need to make a call," I said.

Hearing Charlie say that reminded me of the thought I'd had the night before. I pulled out my phone and called a number other than Bella's for the first time in two days.

"Hey, Ed. I was thinking about calling you soon. One of my buddies wants a new design but didn't know who to go to."

"Hey, Garrett. Listen, we can talk about the tattoo a different day. For now, I need you to do me a huge favor," I said.

"What's wrong? Does this have anything to do with the last huge favor I did for you?"

"Not directly…. This is much more important. I need an address for Laurent Braddock," I said.

"Ed… you know I can't do this too often," he hesitated.

"Garrett, Bella's missing. No one has been able to get in touch with her since the night before last, her mother is out of town, and her ex-fiancé is still an asshole as well as completely unhelpful."

"Are you sure she's not just-"

"_Garrett_," I said. "Bella is the most reliable person I know. She told me she'd call me when she woke up this morning and she loves me. Then she leaves me a letter on her bed to break up with me without telling anyone? No. I don't buy it. And I can't lose her, Garrett. I can't. Please."

He sighed. "Okay, Edward. I'll call you back when I have it."

"Thank you, really. Listen, your next piece will be on the house."

Garrett thanked me and promised to call back as soon as he could.

"So?" Charlie asked when I hung up.

"Now we wait," I said. "I called someone about getting information on Braddock. He said he'd call back soon, but it might take a while." He nodded, but didn't say anything. "I'll be in Bella's room."

For an hour, I sat alone on my girlfriend's bed, clutching her pillow to my chest and wishing she was there. It didn't matter that I was acting like a prepubescent girl. The signs kept pointing to Bella being in trouble. I couldn't ignore this and I couldn't lose her.

Finally, my phone rang. I whipped it out to see the caller ID, hoping it was Bella. It wasn't, of course.

"Garrett. What did you find out?" I asked.

"Edward, this guy is sketchy," he replied. "He changed his name about six years ago from Larry Matthews. He has a few charges on him from before he changed it, but nothing too bad. Bar fight, speeding ticket, consistently late rent…. But he's been a person of interest in some prostitution and human trafficking investigations. It's weird. He has an apartment in the city, but he had a house under his old name. He never sold it."

"Give me both, Garrett," I said, grabbing a pen and paper from Bella's desk.

I copied everything he told me for both addresses. I knew where the apartment was, but I would need directions for the other.

"Edward?" he said when he was done.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

"I will. Thank you."

Jasper and Alice were downstairs when I hurried down to tell Charlie what I'd learned. I quickly explained the situation to them. They were confused by what to do with the two addresses, but I was convinced he would be at the old house. The apartment was too public and too close to home. Looking up the location of the other one confirmed my suspicions. It was located in the middle of a rural, forested area about an hour away.

We decided to split up. Jasper would pick up Emmett before heading to the apartment, just in case. They would call once they knew if she was there. Charlie and I would head out of the city. Alice – and Rosalie when she found out, I'm sure – was disappointed that she wasn't allowed to join in, but she understood that it wouldn't be a good idea.

The car ride was tense to say the least. For the first half of the ride, we waited for the call from Jasper and Emmett. When they confirmed my suspicions, I tensed further. I had no idea what to expect when we got there.

The house was almost a mansion. It was well built and beautiful. I hated it.

I closed my eyes and took a few controlled breaths so that I didn't run into the place guns ablaze.

"What if she's not here?" Charlie asked.

"I sure as hell hope she's not here," I said, getting out of the car.

Charlie followed me up to the door, waiting after I knocked. There was no answer, but there was definitely someone in the house. I could see I light on in one of the rooms toward the back. I knocked again just to be sure no one was going to answer. When no one came, I tried the doorknob.

"Unlocked," I muttered, amazed.

"Sounds like an invitation to me," Charlie replied.

We walked into the house slowly and quietly. I called out once to see if anyone could hear me. The entire place was empty, or so it seemed. We followed the one light we could see and found an open basement door. Of course, that led us down the stairs.

What we found was disturbing. I'd read about the basics of BDSM just to understand what people saw in it, so I recognized some of the items in the room. But I gathered that this went above and beyond the norm. There were toys and devices stored all over the room and I could only guess what most of them did. Behind some kind of bench thing, was a man. He was clearly unconscious and his nose was dripping blood. Charlie looked over and grimaced.

"That's Braddock," he muttered. "Someone got him good."

I studied the body further and noticed the bruising forming on his face. There was a certain angle a punch had to be at to cause that kind of bruising. I knew it well.

I looked around the room to find another door, a hallway, anything. In the back corner, I saw a door that blended into the wall. It was open slightly. I pushed it open to see a figure huddled toward the far side of the small room.

"Bella?" I asked quietly, hopefully.

Her head whipped around. "Edward," she breathed. Her gaze fell to her hand. She was holding it to her chest like she was in pain. "I tucked my thumb. You told me not to tuck my thumb."

I hurried over and pulled her into my arms. "It's okay," I said, smiling. I felt a tear fall down my cheek. "It's okay, baby."

"You said you'd never forgive me if I tucked my thumb in a decent fight, and what did I do? I tucked my thumb," she mumbled.

"Shh," I said, kissing the top of her head. "I lied."

She looked up at me with a small smile. "So where does that leave us? The liar and the girl with the broken thumb?"

I chuckled and held her close. "Together."

"You're such a cheeseball. But you're my cheeseball," she said, snuggling into my chest. Her breathing evened out seconds later and she was asleep, safely back in my arms.

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**AN: So, yeah... Remember how Bella fell asleep all peaceful-like last chapter? That was a cliffhanger in disguise, lol. Thoughts on the aftermath of that? Please leave a review! Double digits get a teaser for the next chapter.**

**Next chapter: Bella's POV of the kidnapping.**

**Also, we are getting to the end. The next chapter is the last official chapter, but I will have an epilogue. Thank you for sticking it out this long and I hope to see you through the end!**

**-Kaylee**


	27. And the Trophy Goes To

**AN: Here you go, guys. The last official chapter of UP. I don't think I've even grasped that concept yet since I'm in the middle of the epilogue, but it seems really weird. This will be the first thing I ever finish that's more than a one-shot. Thanks again to everyone who read, reviews, alerts, and favorites this story. And thanks to my awesome beta who should be doing her own work instead of betaing my chapter, lol.**

**Disclaimer: I own Gran and Xander. That's pretty much it.**

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**Chapter 25 – And the Trophy Goes To….**

BPOV

I knew something was off when I woke up that next morning. The lack of a soft bed and blankets pretty much gave that away. Groggily, I looked around the room. It looked like the negative image of a cell in an insane asylum.

The walls were dark and devoid of details. There were two windows, but both had paneling over them. The bed was just a glorified cot with a thin pillow on one end.

There was nothing else.

"What the fuck?" I muttered, but I was too tired to actually do anything else.

I fell back asleep on the cot, but woke up later to hear voices in the next room. Nothing was distinct enough to make out and I was still really woozy, so I put my head back on the pillow, choosing sleep over throwing up.

Eventually, I woke up feeling semi-normal, but couldn't shake the feeling that someone was looking at me. I turned to face the door and jumped when I saw a man standing there.

He was tall, though not as tall as Edward. His skin was tinted in a permanent tan and his entire body was well-toned. He could have passed as a good-looking guy if it weren't for the creepy, hard to place look in his eyes. It was almost like he wanted to devour me…

"Good, you're awake. I was afraid I was going to have to get you up myself," he said. "Put on the dress in the corner and go make me a sandwich."

He turned and left the room before I could answer.

"Where the fuck am I?" I asked myself as I went to inspect the dress.

It might have passed as a dress on a twelve year old. It barely covered all the important parts. I still had sleep shorts, so I figured I could leave them on. Maybe he didn't realize that it wouldn't fit correctly. Then again, he ordered me to go make him a sandwich without introducing himself.

I rolled my eyes when I saw him lounging in front of the TV when I passed the living room. Of course, he would be one of _those_ guys that sat around while the girl did everything. I whipped together a quick turkey sandwich from the remnants of cold cuts in the fridge and dropped it on his lap when I was done.

"There you go," I said. "Now, can I have something that fits a little better? This dress is a little short on me."

His eyes flicked over to see what I meant before they narrowed in anger.

"Did I tell you to put shorts on if it didn't fit? No. I told you to put on the dress. You can't even follow simple instructions. Your mother said you might be iffy when it came to the other stuff, but this… this is just insubordinate."

"What the fuck are you talking about? What does my mother have to do with this? Where am I? And who the fuck are _you_?"

"I am Laurent, but you will call me 'sir.' Your mother generously entrusted you to me for my personal use and to train you," he said. "You clearly have no manners, no grace, and no sense of your place in the world. I'm here to teach you that."

"Oh my god," I breathed. "This can't be happening. This must be some sick joke or something." I started backing away and looking for a way out. "Edward!" I yelled. "If this is some sick joke, you better get your hot ass out here now and tell me! This is not funny!"

A sharp sting suddenly burst over my cheek. It took me a second to realize that this Laurent guy had slapped me.

"What the fuck?" I gasped as the discomfort set in.

"You will not swear. Ever again. Every time you do, you will get one slap similar to that. But for now, know that this is not a joke. You are here for me and for yourself. You need not be concerned about anyone else, least of all this Edward character."

My mouth dropped open. For the first time in my life, I felt good about standing up for myself. I hadn't been afraid to tell this guy how unbearable his complete condescension was until he hit me. I froze up, my mind jumping to that night in the alley. Only there was no Edward here to save me.

"That's better. Now, go take those silly, little shorts off and have a bit to eat. Not too much, mind you. I don't need you throwing up in the playroom. The clean up would take too much time and the punishment wouldn't be enjoyable for either of us."

I walked away, needing to eat anyway, but mostly to get away from the creep in the other room. I honestly had no idea what his problem was or why the hell he was bossing me around. As I sat down to eat a bagel with cream cheese, some questions started to form in my head.

Why did he think he had any control over my wardrobe? Or what I ate for that matter…

Why did he have a playroom? I hadn't seen any kids running around.

Why would he punish me if I didn't wear what he wanted?

What did my mother have to do with any of this?

Sighing, I cleaned everything up before going back to the room with the cot. There was nothing else that even resembled clothing. Judging by his reaction before, I was surprised Laurent had even left me clothed at all.

"Seriously, who does he think he is? This whole female submission thing is a few decades old," I muttered. "I mean, really. This fucking thing won't cover anything…."

I pulled off the shorts to test it, but it literally didn't hide anything. It was just short enough to be considered a t-shirt instead of a dress. I pulled the shorts right back up. Fuck him and his "punishment." It wasn't worth this humiliation.

Not wanting to go back to face him, I huddled up on the cot. The reality of my situation was starting to bear down on me. The shock of waking up in a strange place and dealing with that guy had clouded the fact that I had no idea where I was or how I got there.

How was Edward dealing with this? I hadn't called him when I woke up. He knew I always called when I told him I would. I was now secure enough in my relationship with him that I couldn't imagine him taking this lightly.

But now I couldn't even find my phone or anything else I had when I'd fallen asleep at my own house.

_When was that anyway?_ I thought. _Who knows how long he's been freaking out…?_

I stayed huddled up in that room for a long time. I had no way of telling how long it actually was. I had just started to doze off when I heard a muffled bellow.

"Isabella!"

I could tell a lot from that bellow. He clearly believed that I would be at his beck and call, eager to do his every bidding. Maybe if I hadn't met Edward… but I'd grown up. I wasn't under the thumb of my mother anymore. I was my own person now.

Apparently he didn't understand that.

A few minutes later, the same bellow came from much closer – right outside my door, to be exact. When I didn't answer, he burst through the door.

"Isabella! Why didn't you answer me?" he demanded.

"Um, maybe because you don't own me?" I spat back. "I'm not your property. I'm a human being, damn it."

"Oh, but that is where you're wrong, my pet," he said with a creepy smile. "Come with me. Let me show you what I mean."

I cocked an eyebrow it him and didn't move.

"If you don't move, I'll drag you behind me."

If I hadn't believed him, I wouldn't have moved. Sadly, the look in his eye made me believe him. There was no doubt that he would be dragging me behind him in any second. Most likely by my hair….

I rolled my eyes and reluctantly got up to follow him.

He led me down a stairway I hadn't noticed before. All the lights were off in the house at that point except for the one at the bottom of the stairs. It led to a room full of different benches and shelves of tools. It looked like some twisted workroom, but I didn't understand what he was getting at by taking me there.

"Do you know what this room is, Isabella?"

I shook my head as I looked around. It was the strangest room I'd ever seen, but I had no idea what it was meant for.

"This is my playroom," he said as he circled around me. "Where I show little girls like you how they ought to behave, how to respect people like me." He stopped right behind me and put his mouth to my ear. "Where I punish girls like you."

My breath hitched painfully and I froze as I realized what was happening. I'd heard about BDSM, but I didn't understand that people actually did things like that. I had nothing against people who entered into it voluntarily, but this was crossing a line. I would not be his sex slave or let him train me to be an obedient, submissive slave of a trophy wife for someone else.

Of course, he took my reaction as a positive thing.

"Oh, you like that idea, do you? I thought that might be your reason for rebelling," he said. "No one has given you what you need. A firm hand to your backside when you do something wrong, someone to make sure you follow the rules…. "

I flinched away from him, but he didn't notice.

"Your mother said you were just going through a phase, but I can see that this is something more. If you're ever going to be a wife to a good man, you need me. You need me to teach you how to be respectful, just like all those girls before you."

He moved to stand in front of me.

"You need me to fuck that Edward right out of your head."

I was too stunned to react.

Who even talked like that? This wasn't a matter of needing a distraction. Edward was a person, not some _thing_ I grew out of in a few years. And I didn't need to be taught how to respect people; I knew who deserved it. This guy did not.

Laurent had apparently continued talking while I thought about his ridiculous thought process.

"- and you'll stay here until I think you've learned enough. However, she never said anything about me taking my fill," he smirked, trailing a finger down my cheek. "After all, you must be tight. A frigid bitch like you must be."

I smacked his hand away, finally breaking out of my haze.

"Fuck you," I spat. "You're not going to touch me."

"Mm, you are going to be fun," he chuckled. "The feisty ones are always the most fun to break."

I shuddered and wrapped my arms around myself, breathing a small sigh of relief when he walked across the room.

"Now, how to begin your punishment… this will be tough since we have no rules set, but I'm sure we can find something suitable for you."

While he was occupied with his decision, I started to inch back toward the stairs. If I could just get up the stairs, I could try to make an escape. It was a long shot, but I had to try. I'd gotten to the first stair when Laurent turned around with a smirk as he held up a paddle.

"Oh, you don't think you can escape, do you?" he laughed.

Rather than respond, I turned and ran as fast as I could up the stairs. Sadly, he was too fast for me. He intercepted me in the kitchen and grabbed my hair, pulling hard enough to make me scream in pain.

"You just made this that much harder on yourself," he sneered. "I would have been fairly gentle with you, but no. You don't want that. Now you'll have a reminder of this for _weeks_."

He gripped me arm and dragged me back downstairs. I struggled the entire way to no avail. At the bottom of the stairs, he pressed me against the wall and leaned into me. My stomach turned when I felt that this whole thing was actually _arousing_ him.

"Such a naughty girl," he whispered. "Oh, this will be fun."

He smiled maniacally at me once again before dragging me back into the room. He led me to a far corner and opened a door I hadn't noticed before. He shoved me in there.

"Just to make sure you don't leave, Isabella. I can't have my fun if you run away," he said.

I could hear him moving around as I sat in that small, dark room. It didn't take him long to come back. I'd come to the realization that he wasn't going to let me go anytime soon. I needed to find a way out. I needed to get back to my friends, my grandparents, my father… I needed to get back to Edward.

When Laurent pulled me up and dragged me back out into the playroom, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my body.

"Now, Isabella, you just sit tight on this table and we'll get started with your punishment. You will be very sore in the morning, but you need to learn your lesson."

"You're sick," I growled, struggling against him.

"Ah, but that's the beauty of it. No sane man could do as well of a job," he smiled.

I swung for a punch aimed at his face, but he turned just in time for me to miss. I tried to remember all the things Edward had taught me in order to protect myself. Laurent wasn't having it. He gripped both my hands and forced me to lie back on the bench.

"You will learn to submit," he growled. "No man wants a bitch like you. They want a girl to lie there and spread her legs."

"That may be what you think, but I know enough to see that that's not true," I hissed, still struggling. "You're just too blind to see past the façade you grew up with."

"Think what you will. But all men are the same."

"Yeah, that's a good point," I said with a smirk.

I jammed my knee into his crotch, taking advantage of the only weak point I could. When he let go of me to clutch himself, I punched him quickly, aiming to knock him out. It did seem to work, but I also realized my mistake seconds later.

My breathing slowly returned to normal as I watched Laurent slowly fall to the floor, unconscious. As I gained control, the adrenaline wore off and I could feel a shooting pain in my thumb. I looked down to see it twisted at an odd angle and the pain got increasingly worse.

I tucked my thumb. Fuck, Edward was going to kill me.

I must have passed out, somehow getting myself back into the hidey-hole in the wall, because the next thing I knew, Edward was talking to me.

"Bella?" he asked softly.

I turned around quickly, my vision blurring slightly as I did. "Edward," I whispered. I looked down to my hand, still nauseous from the pain. "I tucked my thumb. You told me not to tuck my thumb."

Seconds later his arms were around me. "It's okay," he said. "It's okay, baby."

"You said you'd never forgive me if I tucked my thumb in a decent fight, and what did I do? I tucked my thumb," I muttered, not completely coherent.

"Shh," he said. "I lied."

I looked up at him, thrilled to see his face. I worked to give him a real response. "So where does that leave us? The liar and the girl with the broken thumb?"

He laughed quietly and tightened his grip on me. "Together."

"You're such a cheeseball. But you're my cheeseball," I said. I leaned further into him, trying to ignore the pain. The safety of his arms was enough to lull me to sleep.

"Just let her sleep," Edward whispered, slowly bringing me back into consciousness. "She needs this."

"They need her statement, Edward," my father replied.

"It can wait until she wakes up," he said.

"I'm awake," I mumbled, curling further into Edward. "Just gimme a minute."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "We had to call the police, baby. They need your statement before we can head home."

My father stood off to the side, looking concerned. He needed to know that I was okay, but I couldn't make myself let go of Edward long enough to assure him.

I looked up and smiled at my boyfriend. "Where am I anyway? And how long was I gone?"

"We're about an hour outside the city," he said, pushing some hair out of my face. "You've been here for a little over two days. We got here about three hours ago. The police have been poking around for about two."

I nodded. "Well, that explains why I was so damn tired."

Just then, one of the officers came into the room. "Excuse me? We came to check if she was ready to give her statement."

"Only if my father and my boyfriend can stay in the room," I said immediately. "I don't think I can do it without them and I definitely don't want to deal with it more than once."

He nodded at me. "I see no issues with that as long as they don't interfere," he said.

It took almost an hour to get through the entire story. My father sat down next to us and held my hand when I started to get uncomfortable, even in Edward's arms. It was enough to recreate the experience, but to be also mindful of how they'd react to hearing about it made it worse. By the end, Edward had his arms very tightly wrapped around me and he kissed my neck and exposed shoulder while my father occasionally ran his fingers through my hair.

The officer asked a few questions, but let me tell my own story. Edward and my father kept their thoughts to themselves, knowing that I needed them there.

"And I blacked out sometime between punching him and ending up in the cupboard," I finished. "I'm not sure how long it took for Edward to get there."

"Alright, Miss Swan," the officer said. "There is some chance that he could press charges for you punching him, but it was clearly self-defense. There is no way he would be able to win a case."

I sighed and nodded. "I'd rather just not deal with any court proceedings," I said.

He looked shocked and I felt Edward tense behind me. "You don't plan to press charges? You could easily get him on kidnapping, assault, and attempted sexual assault. Your mother would also be unable to fight assisted kidnapping and endangerment. She is the only connection, but we have been unable to locate her as of yet."

"Why would I want to do that? It's over," I said. "I don't want to deal with it anymore."

"Baby, you should do this," Edward said quietly. "If you let him get away with this, he could hurt someone else. And your mother? She shouldn't be able to control you like that." He looked over to Charlie. "I'm sorry, but I can't look past this."

My father nodded. "I understand. I never thought Renee would do something like this. None of us should be able to look past this."

"I don't understand why I need to press charges against my own mother. I'm sure that she was doing the right thing in her own mind," I said. "Yes, she's insane, but that doesn't mean I need to prove it to a judge."

"We could do that," the officer noted. "If there was enough proof, we could get her sentenced to time in an asylum rather than jail. She would have more of a chance of returning to a normal life."

"Can we just… not talk about this right now?" I groaned. "I'm sorry, Officer, but I can't deal with this right now. It makes sense to press charges against Laurent, but I really don't know what to do about my mother."

"Understood, Miss Swan. I know this must be a difficult situation for you and I don't expect you to make all the decisions today." He handed me a card. "That's my direct line at the precinct. Feel free to let me know when you decide."

"Thank you, Officer. I appreciate it," I said with a smile.

He left the room shortly after, and I leaned further back into Edward. I wanted everything to just be over. I looked at the two most important men in my life and sighed.

"Can we just go home now?" I asked with a slight whine in my voice.

"Of course, sweetheart," my father said, kissing my forehead. "Let's go."

When I said "go home," I was hoping to go straight to bed with Edward curled up behind me. Apparently, everyone else I knew had a different idea. They were all waiting in our living room when we got back into the city.

"Bella!" Alice squealed when she saw me. "We were so worried!" She hurried over and threw her arms around me. "Thank god, you're all right!"

"If you keep squeezing me that hard, I won't be," I wheezed. She had a strong grip for someone so small.

Jasper came up and gently pulled his wife off me. "Really, Bella, we're all glad you're safe." He kissed my cheek and pulled Alice back to let everyone else get their chance at me.

My grandparents, Emmett and Rosalie, Joshua, Carlisle and Esme, Pete and Drew, and even the boys from New Moon Pizza were there. The only person missing was my mother, but I had no hope of her ever fitting into this group of people.

It was nice to see everyone getting along so well. Even my grandparents were associating with my less-than-respectable friends. Gran discussed the basics of homosexual affection with Jake and Embry while Gramps showed Pete and Drew his tattoos from World War II. My father and Carlisle talked about how their different fields could somehow work together. Esme told the rest of the boys from New Moon Pizza about things they could do to make it more profitable and welcoming.

Edward and I stood with Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie as they cooed over and played with Xander. He was growing quickly and hated to stay in one spot for too long.

"This is nice," I commented as I looked around the room.

"What?" Edward replied. He was standing behind me, his arms around my waist. He played with end of my shirt while we watched our friends play with my godson.

"This," I said. "Having everyone here and getting along. I've never really had anything like this. It's just… nice."

He chuckled and kissed the skin behind my ear. "We could have this more often, you know," he replied. "Families do this all the time. Birthday parties, Christmas, Thanksgiving…."

"I know, I know, but I've just never gotten anything beyond creepy, awkward social gatherings that barely pass as a party," I said. "Especially for birthdays."

"Well, now you get smaller, awkward social gatherings that barely pass as parties," he laughed. "With Emmett and Gran in the same room…"

I laughed and leaned back into his embrace. I looked up at him and smiled. "I love you, you know that?"

He smiled back down at me. "I love you too, my beautiful Bella." He raised his hand to caress my cheek. His voice dropped to a whisper as he began speaking again. "You've made my life worth living again. You've helped me heal. You've been better to me than anyone I know."

"Edward, what are you-"

"These past few days scared me, Bella. I couldn't live without you, I think. I don't want to live without you." He took a deep breath and I felt his hand move to search in his pocket. "Will you marry me, Bella? Will you allow me to spend the rest of my life loving you, as my wife?"

I gasped and looked down to see him holding a ring in front of me. It was a simple, white gold band with a single, small, princess cut diamond. It was perfect.

It occurred to me after a minute that I hadn't actually answered him since I'd been stunned into silence. I spun around to face him and rather than answer directly, I pressed my lips against his.

"Should I take that as a yes, then?" he laughed.

"Yes," I whispered. "Of course I'll marry you, Edward. I love you so much."

He beamed at me and picked up my left hand. He kissed each of my knuckles, lingering on my ring finger, before slipping on the ring.

"I'm engaged," I murmured, before beaming back at him.

He chuckled before pulling me back into a passionate kiss.

It was a perfect proposal in my opinion. I didn't need a big, planned scene in public. He certainly didn't need to get down on one knee to impress me. This was all I needed.

"Jeez, get a room," Emmett called.

"Shut it, Em," Edward answered grumpily as he pulled back from the kiss.

I leaned my head against his chest and smiled over to my friends.

"Oh my god, I think he finally did it," Rose gasped.

"What are you talking about, babe?"

"Holy shit, you're right!" Alice squealed. She handed her son over to Jasper before running over and snatching up my hand. She inspected the ring, holding it close to her face. "Well, it's better than the one James gave you, that's for sure. But when did this happen?"

I chuckled and pulled my hand back. "You can't be very observant, Ali. Why else would I attack him in the middle of the living room?"

For the next few hours, Edward and I were passed around the room as everyone offered their congratulations. The two of us had to settle with glances across the room every once in a while.

Something had changed with the proposal. I felt it in the kiss before everyone else noticed. I didn't understand how it could, but it felt like a deeper connection. Whatever it was, I knew Edward felt it to. His eyes seemed to darken whenever he looked my way, something I usually only saw when we were alone.

If that wasn't a cue for things to come, I didn't know what was.

"I think someone's planning on breaking you out of the nunnery tonight, Sister Bella," Rose teased.

"Rose!" I hissed. "Don't say stuff like that."

"No, I think she's right," Alice said. "I have a feeling if Charlie wasn't here, he'd drag you right up the stairs and have his way with you."

They stood next to me as we watched our men converse with my father and grandfather. There was nothing stranger than seeing my boyfriend, now fiancé, interacting with male members of my family. I was so used to them being separate entities. Seeing them blend together was surreal and, frankly, perfect.

"I'm happy for you, sweetie," Alice said, putting her arm around my shoulder. "You deserve this. You deserve a guy like Edward."

"And thank god he found you," Rose added. "Seriously, that boy was so wound up in his own issues, I was afraid he might twist off his own manly parts one day."

"Rose!" I hissed again.

She continued as if she hadn't heard me. "As far as I know it's all still there. But if I was going to pick a girl for him, you are ten times better than the girl I'd pick."

I laughed and shook my head, laying my head on her shoulder. "Thanks, Rose. That means a lot."

"You're welcome. Now just make sure that you don't do anything to hurt him," she said. "Because then I will have to punch you in the vag and forcibly remove your spleen."

"Ah, there's the Rose we know and love," I said.

"Are you trying to steal my fiancée away, Rosalie?" Edward asked he came over to the group of us.

"Yes. We're eloping tonight and we plan to make tiny dolphin babies," she said, rolling her eyes. "Really, Edward. I thought you knew better than that."

"Hey, I know she's a catch," he answered, holding his hands up in surrender. "I really have no idea how I got her, but I'm trying to keep her."

Rose and Alice both gave me a slight push toward him and I smiled.

"Lucky for you, I never really wanted anyone else," I said.

"It'll be interesting to see just how far my luck will carry me tonight," he muttered as he played with the ends of my hair. I bit my lip, but didn't answer him.

It took us less than fifteen minutes to get out of there. Everyone offered their congratulations again, but kept them short. Only Gran had something new to say.

"You know, now that it's official, you really don't need to worry about protection. Let him go bareback. He'll enjoy it more." I avoided responding to that.

Neither of us really spoke on the ride back to his apartment, but Edward couldn't seem to stop touching me. He had his arm around my waist as we walked to the car. As he drove, he kept his hand entwined with mine. I swear, he almost threw me over his shoulder in an effort to get me back to his place faster.

He did pick me up bridal style and carry me through his door.

"Welcome home, m'lady," he said with a huge grin.

"Aw, Edward," I said, trying not to laugh. "That's the wedding night, not the engagement night."

He kissed me quickly. "I know, but I still wanted to do it," he explained before gently setting me down on the couch.

"Have I mentioned you're a cheeseball?" I said, looking up at him.

"Not for a few hours."

"Well, you are. But I still love you."

"And I love you," he said, kneeling in front of me. He picked up my left hand again and looked between my face and my hand in wonder.

"What?"

"I can't believe you agreed to marry me," he responded.

"Then you clearly don't understand that I can't live without you either," I said. I removed my hand from his and weaved my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer to me. "I'm stealing your cheeseball title, but I don't care. I need you, Edward Masen. I need you by my side for the rest of my life."

"I'll be there," he said. He lifted his hand and caressed my cheek. "I'll always be with you, Bella."

He leaned forward that last tiny bit and kissed me tenderly. I took the initiative and pulled him even closer, needing more. We only pulled back when we needed to breathe.

"I need you, Edward," I said when I could finally talk.

"I need you too, baby," he said.

"No, you don't get it. I need more. I… Edward, I need you to make love to me."

"Are you sure? This isn't just a reaction to what happened bef-"

I shut him up with another quick kiss. "Of course I'm sure, Edward. I think I've been ready for a while, but I didn't know for sure."

He smiled and stood up, pulling me with him. "Come on. I'm not letting your first time be on a couch." I took his offered hand and followed him to his bedroom, starting to get nervous about what was to come, when he stopped abruptly. "Oh god… Bella…" He sounded pained and horrified.

"What, Edward? What's wrong?"

He turned to face me, his eyes bleak. "If he had done something to you, that would have been your first time," he said. "You would never have gotten the chance to choose, to allow someone you loved that honor."

"Hey, hey," I said. I tugged on his hand to get him to look at me again. "Don't say that. Don't think about it. Ever, okay? You saved me. The first night I met you, you saved me. Then you taught me how to save myself so it would never happen again. And when it counted, I remembered you. I remembered you teaching me all that. That's what happened. No one could take away what was always yours. You were there with me the entire time."

Edward nodded and choked out a laugh. "I feel like we're at the climax of some ridiculous Lifetime movie," he said, pulling me back into his arms. "But you've officially stolen the cheeseball award."

"Do you believe me now?" I muttered into his chest.

"Of course," he said. He kissed the top of my head. "It just occurred to me and I couldn't deal with it."

"Then don't think about it," I said, extracting myself from his arms. "Think about the fact that _you_ get to do it. And I am more than willing."

I walked toward his room, fully aware that he was standing still stunned behind me. I made sure to sway my hips a little more than usual as I walked, hoping that would help the image. By the time I reached his bed, he finally caught up to me and wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"You've earned yourself a new nickname," he noted as he skimmed his lips along my neck.

"Oh, really? What's that?" I asked breathlessly.

"Vixen," he stated huskily. "You're a sultry vixen, my Bella."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that. I have a feeling that title involves less clothing though."

Digging deep to find some confidence and forcing myself to be an extrovert for once, I broke out of Edward's embrace. Standing a few feet away from him, I slowly stripped off my clothing, one article at a time. His eyes followed my every move, but he never moved toward me. After I ran out of clothing, I laid myself on the bed and gave Edward a small smile.

"Your turn," I said simply.

He didn't move right away. His jaw seemingly didn't function anymore.

"Edward?" I asked, trying not to chuckle. "It's your turn, babe."

He snapped out of his reverie then, smiling down at me.

"You're stunning, Bella," he said as he began taking off his own clothes. "I don't care what anyone else says, you're perfect."

He didn't take the time I did to strip, but it was a sight nonetheless. It was clear he wanted this just as much as I did.

"So are you," I said. "You're everything I need."

Edward slowly crawled over me, kissing me softly when he fully covered me. He took it slow, building the tension with kisses and teasing touches, never lingering where I needed him most.

"Edward, please," I said.

"What, Bella?" he asked, nipping at my neck. "Tell me what you want."

"I need more," I said. "I need you inside me."

"Mmm, not yet, love," he replied. "Soon."

I whined, but it turned into a moan as he used his fingers to bring me over the edge. He stroked my hair as I came down from my high.

"That's not what I meant," I pouted.

"Oh, I'm well aware," he said with a laugh. "I'm far from done with you." He smiled devilishly and ground his hips into mine, demonstrating exactly what he meant and leaving no room for argument.

Edward started slow again. I whined my protest, but he shushed me with a kiss.

"I refuse to hurt you, love," he said. "Let me do this for you. I promise it will help."

As he spoke, he pressed into me. I gasped, but tried to relax. He looked right at me, kissing me slowly as he went. At some point, he'd managed to slip a condom on – neither of us was willing to listen to Gran's newest nugget of info.

I barely felt any pain. Edward was gentle and considerate, listening to all my cues, verbal and non-verbal. He whispered his love for me as he entered my body over and over again. The feeling was overwhelming and I was unable to reply. But judging by the groans of pleasure coming from him between phrases, I had a feeling he was enjoying it just as much.

"Come for me, Bella," he said stiffly as if he was holding back. "Come _with_ me."

It occurred to me that he was waiting to make sure I came again before he allowed himself the pleasure. I leaned up enough to kiss him before letting myself give into the pleasure.

"Edward," I cried through the kiss.

"Fuck, Bella," he grunted, falling right after me.

Edward fell half on top of me when his arms gave out with the power of his own orgasm. He pressed light kisses against my skin as we both recovered from our intense highs.

"That was incredible," I said. "Why in the world did we wait for that?"

He chuckled and kissed me tenderly. "Because it wouldn't have been the same and you know it."

"I suppose you're right," I laughed. "It just seems so surreal. Being with you like this…. If someone told me the night I met you that one day we would end up here, _engaged_, I never would have believed them."

"Me either, to be perfectly honest," he answered. "But I'm glad it did happen."

I smiled up at him. "Me too."

I curled into his chest, my head resting in the crook of his neck, as we fell asleep last night. That was where I belonged.

This was the heaven I never expected to have and I wasn't about to let it slip away.

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**AN: So, what did you think? Please leave me a review to let me know! Remember this is technically the last chapter of the story.**

**Next chapter: Epilogue.**

**Thank you all so much for sticking with me through my crazy posting schedule and I really hope the epilogue will be up some time in the next week. :)**

**-Kaylee**


	28. Epilogue

**AN: This is it, guys. The last chapter of this story. It took a long time, but I finally did it. Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted, favorited... Special thanks to everyone who stuck through to the end. It means so much. Also, to my betas, SwallowedxInxThexSea who was awesome while she had the time and Frankie who stepped up late in the game; you guys are awesome. :)**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything you recognize. The little ones are mine though.**

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**Epilogue – Four Years Later**

BPOV

"Eli, you know you're not supposed to be back there," I said as I came out from the back room. My son had the sense to follow me back to the front desk.

After two years of extensive schooling on my part, a heavy investment from my father, and a serious property search, Edward and Rosalie were finally able to expand from their hole-in-the-wall parlor to an elegant studio in a nicer area of the city, taking me on to handle the business side of things. It was no longer _just_ a tattoo parlor, but also a gallery for local artists. Edward never seemed very keen on the idea, but I reminded him that his designs were art and they deserved to be seen, not just by the people who want them etched in their skin. He agreed only on the stipulation that it be mainly for local artists.

Eli was an unexpected part of our lives. Sure, we'd talked about having kids someday, but neither of us expected a honeymoon baby. There was a bet going when Emmett and Rose got married as to when they would have their first kid – especially since she convinced him to start trying even before the wedding – and the pool heavily favored a honeymoon conception. It ended up taking them six months before Penelope Elizabeth Cullen was a reality. Edward and I were married barely two months after he proposed, making Elliot Andrew Masen just a few months older than his cousin since Emmett and Rose kept to their January nuptials.

"Sowwy, Momma," he mumbled as he went to play with his trucks.

I smiled as I watched him play. We'd had to set up a small nursery area since Penny and Eli both came to work with us. It was wonderful to be able to bring my son to work and not leave him in the hands of a nanny or daycare teacher.

A strong pair of arms wrapped around my waist and I smiled as I leaned back into my husband's chest.

"He's so smart," Edward whispered in my ear. "Look at him with those trucks."

"He's been playing with those trucks for six months now, baby," I laughed.

"Yes, but he's organized them into a very efficient delivery system of…. What are those? Tiny burgers?"

"Those are indeed tiny hamburgers, Edward. Your son is now running a fast food delivery service. He is single-handedly destroying the food business as we know it."

Just then, Eli looked up. He always knew when his father was around and loved to show off.

"Dad! Dad, look! It's a truck samwich," Eli laughed as he slapped a truck between two plastic burgers.

"That's great, buddy," Edward chuckled.

"You like it, Momma?"

"I dunno, Eli," I said in a sing-song voice. Edward took his cue and pulled his arms away. "I like little boys better." I let my face fall into a zombie-like trance as I stalked him across the room.

"No, Momma! Don't eat me!" he giggled as he ran away from me. "I'm not food! Momma!"

It didn't take long to catch him. I picked him up, pulled his shirt up a bit and nibbled his belly.

"Ah! Momma, it tickles! Stop it, Momma!" he giggled. "Dad, make her stop!"

"I don't think I can, buddy. She'll get me too. I gotta save myself," Edward said, trying not to laugh.

"But Dad! She's gonna do the thing! Don't let her do the thing!"

I smirked as I stopped nibbling. Eli relaxed in my arms, thinking it was over, but I surprised him by giving him a loud raspberry right on his neck.

"Momma!" he laughed, trying to push me away. "No more hugs, Momma! Stop or no more hugs!"

I'd forgotten that he was starting to understand the concept of punishment. It made teasing and tickling so much harder.

I pulled back, pouting down at my son. "That's not fair," I said.

"Dad said if I wanted to get you to stop doing something, I need to say 'no more hugs' and you'll stop."

I frowned and looked at my husband. "Oh, he did, huh?"

"Uh-oh," Eli said, biting his tiny bottom lip. "He told me not to tell…"

"Of course he did," I said, cocking an eyebrow over at Edward. "I think Dad has some explaining to do."

The door opened then to reveal Rosalie and an energetic Penny followed by Alice and a sleepy looking Xander. Alice had been supervising the gallery lately as it gave her a reason to spend more time with her friends.

Eli started squirming around in my arms when he saw his cousins. I put him down softly and he took off running. I looked over to my husband and crossed my arms.

"Hey, don't look at me like that," he said, shrinking back.

"I will look at you any way I want," I said. "And when you tell my son to withhold hugs in exchange for something? Yeah, that gets you this look."

"You told Eli to withhold _hugs_?" Alice gasped.

"No wonder Bella is staring you down like you refused to get her pregnancy cravings," Rose laughed. She waddled across the room with her own six-month pregnant belly. They found out they'd be having twin boys this time around. I had no idea how she would cope with that.

"That's like withholding mommy-daddy fun times for a month to a mother!" Alice continued. She understood what it was like for sons to shy away from affection to be like their dads and uncles since Xander was a little older than Eli.

"Look, I thought it would just be a little joke, no harm done," my husband said innocently.

"Obviously you don't understand the value of a son's hug to a mother," I said. "Do you know how many hugs he's given me _willingly_ in the past few months?"

He shrugged and shook his head. "I see you give him lots of hugs."

"That right there is what I mean. It's not hugs, it's little boys and their willingness to give affection," I ranted, quietly so the kids wouldn't hear. "In the past few months, I've gotten a grand total of three hugs from him without being asked. When he was little, he would cling to me. Now I get three hugs in as many months? He's barely three and a half; I don't want him pulling away already!"

Alice gave me a quick, understanding smile before heading over to her own post and leaving me with my husband.

Edward looked stunned. "I didn't know you felt like that," he said. "Come here."

I stepped into his open arms and spoke into his chest. "I don't want him to treat me like I treated my mother."

"Baby, Eli thinks the sun shines out of your beautiful ass," he said, kissing the top of my hair. "You're all he talks about, but only when you're not around. Sure, he'll focus on me when we're both there, but that's because he doesn't see me as much. But Esme, Carlisle, and Charlie all hear about what he does with you, not me. He loves his Momma."

I nodded, but couldn't quite kick the overwhelming emotions. "It just seems like he's growing up too fast. I thought they weren't supposed to pull away until they figured out that girls don't have cooties."

He chuckled and lifted my chin to kiss me. "That doesn't take as long as you think."

I chuckled, but pulled back to huddle in his chest again. Edward held me like that for a while since it was a slow part of the day and he didn't need to be anywhere else. It was nice that we still had this level of affection after being married for four years and having a child.

"Hey, Bella?" he asked a few minutes later.

"Yeah?"

He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "I think you might be pregnant again, baby."

I stiffened and looked up to see him smiling. "What do you mean?"

"Well, weren't you supposed to have your period a few weeks ago?" he asked. "And haven't you been feeling sick in the mornings a lot? And just last night you asked me to pick up sherbet. I'd never seen you eat that until you were pregnant with Eli and then you craved it all the time."

I gasped and went over everything in my head. That sherbet was good, but that didn't necessarily mean that it was a craving. Sure, I'd been feeling sick in the mornings because I was indulging in some late night snacking, but that didn't start until I was pregnant the first time. And I really had missed my period.

"I think we need to stop at the drugstore before we go home tonight," I muttered as I turned to watch my son play with his friends.

"I'll pick it up, baby, but you have an appointment tonight, remember?"

I looked up at him to see his face trying to remain neutral. It took me a minute, but then I realized what day it was.

"Fuck," I hissed. "God damn it, why did I agree to this?"

He pulled back and cupped my face in his hands. "Because you're a wonderful woman who just wants everything to be okay," he said sincerely. "I know you. If you hadn't agreed to this, you'd always wonder what you could have done."

I sighed and took his hands in mine, dropping them to our sides. "You're right, I guess."

"Momma?" I heard Eli's little voice say.

I turned to see him, Penny, and Xander standing a couple feet away.

"Why you look so sad, Auntie Bella?" Penny asked.

"I think Uncle Ed made her sad," Xander said, looking between the two of us.

"No, no. Uncle Ed did nothing wrong," I said quickly, kneeling in front of them.

"Then why you cwy, Momma?" my boy asked, walking over and palming a tear off my cheek. "See? Wet."

I took his hand and kissed the center of his palm. "Momma's just a little scared," I said. "I have to go seen someone I haven't seen in a year and I'm not sure what's going to happen."

"Take me!" Eli said. "I'm not scared!"

I smiled. "I know you're not, Eli. But I need you to keep an eye on your dad and make sure he doesn't burn dinner."

"Oh," he said, looking up at his father. "But I dunno how to make food," he whispered loudly.

"You don't have to," I laughed. "You just tell him to double check the recipe."

He nodded happily, but then frowned. "Momma, what's a ress-pee?"

"It tells your dad how to make dinner," I explained.

"Okay," he said. He looked at me for a few seconds before launching himself into my arms. "You take Theo with you so you not be scared, Momma. You not supposed to be scared."

Theo was his stuffed bear. It was a present from Charlie before Eli was even born. He took that bear with him everywhere. It never stayed with him for long, but it was always within his sight. It was a big deal to give him up.

"Thank you, Eli," I said, my eyes starting to water again. "I'll take good care of him, I promise."

"Of course you will. You alweady take care of me and Dad. You're the best momma ever," he said with a smile. "So no more cwying."

I laughed and nodded. One by one, the kids each gave me a hug before going back to play. I stood up and quickly wiped the tears streaks off my face. Edward cupped my face and stroked my cheeks with his thumbs.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," I said with a smile.

I was fine for most of the day. There was enough paperwork to take care of that I was thoroughly distracted. I stayed with Alice for a couple hours, letting myself wander over to the small, permanent gallery in the back corner. It was all Edward's work. The first thing to notice was the sketch of the angel that he'd shown me so long ago. He had finally gotten it tattooed on his back and convinced me to get a smaller version of it on my side. I still smile every time I see the drawing. The other pictures and sketches were wonderful, but that angel would always hold a special significance for me.

Finally, it was time for me to leave. Elliot handed Theo over to me with barely any hesitation. I took the bear carefully, knowing it was important in more ways than one. Edward kissed me tenderly after I pulled my coat on. Even in early fall it was starting to get cold.

"Don't let it get to you," he said. I nodded, but didn't say anything. "I'll stop at the drugstore on the way home and I promise not to burn dinner."

"I love you," I finally whispered.

"I love you too, Bella. I'll never leave you." He always knew what I needed to hear.

As I approached the large, austere building a half hour later, I started taking deep breaths to calm myself down. I'd been making a trip over here once a year as expected. It wasn't what I wanted, but it was the court's decision. The girl at the front desk looked bored out of her mind when she acknowledged me.

"I'm here to see Renee Swan," I said cautiously.

"Her doctor's office is on the third floor, second door on your left," she replied.

"Thanks."

Dr. Jones greeted me warmly as he had for the past three years. He briefed me on my mother's condition, letting me know that she hasn't gotten any better yet. Not that I was surprised. Eventually, he led me to the observation room where I'd be meeting her. One of the nurses escorted her in.

"Isabella? Oh dear, you look horrible. You've gained weight. And those clothes look horrendous," she said with a sneer.

"It's nice to see you too, Mother," I said, rolling my eyes. I sat in one of the chairs and put my purse on my lap, letting Theo's arm pop out a little.

"Are you still with that hobo?"

"I am still married to Edward, yes."

"And my grandson?"

"Elliot is wonderful, thank you for asking."

"He would have ended up being smarter if you'd married a better man," she said. "You know, I tried to help you by sending you to Laurent, but that obviously didn't work. Now that poor boy is rotting away in jail for nothing. If you'd just listened to me in the first place-"

"Mother, I know you always thought you were doing the right thing," I said, trying to stay calm. "But if you really believed that Laurent was _good_ for me, you are so wrong. He wanted to beat me into submission, make me scared of men so that I wouldn't disobey. He wanted to take away anything that made me who I am." My voice started to rise then. "Do you even realize what you did? You took me away from everything I loved to mold me into some puppet!"

"You needed to see what you were doing wrong!" she insisted.

"No! No, Mother, that was not what you were doing. You _kidnapped_ me. You wanted someone to abuse me until I acted a certain way. That's sick."

She slapped me across the cheek. The nurse moved forward with a needle, but I put a hand up to stop her.

"No, I need to hear what she's thinking," I said.

"You are a disgrace to the human race, Isabella," she hissed. "You chose to live the rest of your life with a hobo and you've _procreated_ with him? This is ridiculous. You should be married to a well-to-do man like a lawyer or doctor and spending your time planning events instead of doing his work for him. Your son will end up worse off than the two of you because you will have nothing to give him."

For the first time in my life, I actively responded to my mother. I slapped her across the cheek, just like she'd done to me.

"You will never understand what I have with Edward and Eli," I seethed. "You deserved so much more than Dad divorcing you. He should have left you go so long ago, but he actually loved you despite the fact that you're severely deluded. I don't even see how you were able to carry me to term since you hold so much hatred for me now, but I can assure you, I hate you more, Renee. Now I'm going to go home to my wonderful husband and my adorable son and see that I'm exactly where I want to be."

Before she could respond, I walked out of the room. Dr. Jones was standing just outside and he looked rather upset.

"I'm not sure what this will do to her," he said.

"Frankly, I'm not sure anyone cares anymore," I said. "I'll be back next year, but not because I want to."

He nodded and showed me out to the front.

I drove home slowly, trying to keep my emotions in check. As soon as I walked into our house, Edward knew it hadn't gone well. He smiled weakly, but let Eli try to cheer me up.

"Momma! You're home!" he said, running up to me. He threw his arms around my leg and looked up at me. "Did Theo help?"

I smiled softly and picked up my son. "He did. He made me feel a lot better."

"Well, yeah. He makes me feel better every day. Silly Momma," he said. He yawned and leaned his head down on my shoulder.

"You sleepy, buddy?" I asked, kissing his forehead.

He nodded and snuggled closer to me. "Read me story?" he mumbled.

I chuckled. "I'll go put him down and eat later," I told Edward.

"I'll come with you," he said, putting his arm around my waist.

It had been a while since we worked together to put him to bed. I sat on the bed with my son's head in my lap as his father read a story and I stroked his soft hair. He fell asleep in the middle of the story, so we didn't bother finishing it. After we tucked Eli in, Edward pulled me back downstairs and sat me in his lap, his hand cupping my cheek.

"What happened, baby?" he asked softly.

At his concerned words, I broke down. I sobbed into his shoulder, releasing all the emotions I'd been holding in for years. He waited patiently, stroking my hair like I'd done for Eli. When I finally quieted down and caught my breath, I looked up at him.

"I don't think she ever really loved me," I whispered. "She wanted a puppet, not a daughter. That's all I was to her."

"She's not sane, Bella. None of this was ever your fault," he said.

"I know. It's just crushing to know I never meant anything to her. I guess it just finally dawned on me," I admitted. "I'll go back, but only because I'm legally obligated. Not because I hold any feelings for her."

He kissed my forehead in acceptance. "I still don't understand why they make you go," he said.

"It was something about keeping her connected to the outside world. I was the logical choice to oversee her care since Charlie was already filing for divorce," I said.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Let's not think about it anymore. We have more important things to think about."

He beamed at me and gave me a small kiss before retrieving a small bag from the kitchen. He handed me a box from inside it and I had to laugh.

"You actually bought me a pregnancy test?" I laughed.

"Well, yeah. We need to know, after all."

I kissed him deeply, twining my fingers in his hair. "I love that you're so happy about this and I don't want you to be disappointed if I'm just sick," I said when I pulled back.

"How can I be disappointed when that means we get to keep trying?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down like a moron.

Ten minutes later, we were both sitting on the couch eating sherbet while waiting for the timer on the coffee table to go off. Waiting was always the worst part of this for me. But seeing Edward's face when the test came back positive was worth every second. He picked me up and swung me around, kissing me thoroughly.

"I love you so much," he said between kisses.

After I had the best celebratory sex of my life, I thought about what Renee had said. I knew this was exactly what I wanted in my life. She may have had her dreams for me, but my own dreams came true.

I leaned over and kissed Edward again, crawling on top of him. He was my knight in shining armor, who helped me defeat the wicked witch. I decided I needed to take full advantage of my happily ever after.

* * *

**AN: There you go. Hopefully all the people that were disappointed by the lack of crazy Renee last chapter feel a little better now. I would really love to know what you guys thought of everything, so please drop me one last review!**

**Next? I do have another story floating around in my head, but it will be a while before it gets posted. School is kicking my ass this year and I need to focus. But keep a weather eye on the horizon, lol.**

**Thanks again for reading! :)**

**-Kaylee**


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